


Tuyo

by Corny_Cornflakes



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bathroom Sex, Canon Related, Couch Cuddles, Couch Sex, F/M, First Dates, Getting to Know Each Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Children, Secrets, Smut, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 33,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22480300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corny_Cornflakes/pseuds/Corny_Cornflakes
Summary: Raquel thought she'd never see the handsome stranger with glasses she had a one-night stand with nine years before the first heist. However, while she's trying to put an end to the biggest robbery in history, they reunite once again at the same bar. Will the secrets they tried to run away from finally come to light?
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 181
Kudos: 316





	1. Soy el fuego que arde tu piel

**Author's Note:**

> Since I don't have any exams coming up anytime soon, I decided to make my first attempt at writing a multi-chapter fanfiction. I will try to update it once a week, but if I don't, please forgive me for my bad organizational skills! Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the outcome of an idea I've been toying around with for a while, and don't forget to let me know what you think of it! <3
> 
> P.S.: Let me know if you guess from which ship I drew inspiration from for the steamy scene ;)

**Nine years before the heist**

Raquel couldn't believe that she let her friends convince her to go to a bar on a Wednesday evening after a stressful day at work. She didn't plan on spending her 31st birthday getting drunk and dancing with Alicia and Ágata. Instead, she wanted to put on her pajamas and read a book while eating ice cream under a cozy blanket. Big crowds and loud music usually made her uncomfortable, wishing she was someplace familiar and safe. But it was a special day after all.

"Come on, Raquel! We need to celebrate! Don't you want to have a little bit of fun?" Alicia begged when she stopped by at the police station in the morning. She was taking care of paperwork at that moment, and the only reason why she agreed to her friend's proposal was that she desperately needed any kind of entertainment. Besides, taking her mind off of her complicated relationship with Alberto sounded like a good idea as well. 

After she returned home, she greeted her mother and immediately went to her room in search of a suitable outfit. Almost all of the clothes she owned were white shirts and loose pants. Luckily, Raquel found a long-sleeved dress in the back of her closet she hadn't worn in years, but it still fit her perfectly. She even put on some red lipstick and put her long, wavy hair into a messy bun. It was a cold January evening, so she decided to throw on a leather jacket to finish off her outfit and called a taxi to get her downtown. 

Once Raquel arrived at _Hanoi_ , she quickly spotted her friends by the entrance and walked in their direction, feeling slightly nervous. " _Damn_ , I haven't seen you in a dress since that party where you made out with Javier. When was that, seven years ago?" Alicia asked as she eyed her friend and hugged her.

"I have other priorities now," Raquel replied as she rolled her eyes, and she could hear Alicia chuckle as she let go of her embrace. "You mean that shitty boyfriend of yours?"

"We're on a break right now," she corrected her friend with a sad smile. "I was talking about my job."

"Enough of this! We're here to have fun, not to talk about men and work." Ágata interrupted the two of them and pulled them by their arms into the bar. Although it was the middle of the week, the place was very busy. An energetic song played through the speakers to which almost everyone danced. Even Raquel couldn't help but move her head to the catchy melody. "I'll get us some drinks. I'll be right back!" Ágata called out and disappeared in the masses. 

In the meantime, Alicia tried to convince Raquel to join her on the dancefloor, but she kept on resisting. "Stop it! I'll embarrass myself," she tried to explain, but her friend didn't seem to listen. Or care. "Do you really want to spend your birthday standing around and watching everyone else enjoy themselves? Who cares what they think! Look, they can't dance well either." 

Alicia was right. Everyone just jumped around or slightly moved their feet to the rhythm, but they seemed to have fun nonetheless. Raquel finally gave in to her plea. _This can't be too difficult, can it?,_ she thought to herself, while she followed her friend into the crowd. 

However, when she took her eyes off of Alicia for a second, she disappeared. Raquel's heartbeat quickened, and she called out her name, but she couldn't even hear her own thoughts in that noise. There was no point in trying to search for her. Realizing Alicia wouldn't return for quite some time, she decided to look for Ágata instead.

Squeezing herself through the large group of people, Raquel eventually spotted her friend sitting at the bar, drinking a glass of red wine, and chatting with the bartender. Feeling relieved to finally see a familiar face, she started to run towards her, when she suddenly bumped into something, or _someone_ , and fell onto the floor.

Luckily, Raquel didn't get hurt, but she'd never felt more embarrassed in her entire life. All she wanted was to go home, crawl under her bed, and never come out again. She just hoped that nobody saw her at that moment. However, she realized that her worry came true when she noticed a stretched-out hand in front of her. 

"I'm so sorry, are you hurt?", a deep male voice asked, and Raquel lifted her eyes with curiosity to look at the person before her. He was a man around her age with dark hair, a beard, and glasses, wearing black pants and a white shirt. She couldn't help but notice how unbelievably hot he looked in the dim light with this soft smile on his face. 

"I'm fine, thank you," Raquel answered as she grabbed his hand and raised herself from the dirty floor. As she straightened her dress, she could feel him staring at her, and it sent goosebumps all over her skin. A weird longing she'd never felt before suddenly overtook her. Why did this stranger have such a strong influence on her?

"Are you sure? I really didn't mean to bump into you," the man continued and seemed to be genuinely concerned, but Raquel smiled, and he sighed with relief. "Yes, I'm sure. Besides, I should be the one apologizing. It was my fault."

A minute of awkward silence followed as they gazed into each other's eyes, and it was just then that Raquel realized that he was still holding her hand. But for some reason, she didn't mind. It was the first time since she and Alberto broke things off - or 'went on a break' as he nicely put it - that she felt so attracted to someone. 

However, this moment of weakness quickly passed when he let go of her and put his hand in his pocket instead. Raquel immediately started to miss his warm touch. "Be careful, ok?" he added after he cleared his throat and walked away before she had the chance to reply. 

Although she hadn't had any alcohol yet, she couldn't think straight, and it took her a while to process everything that just had happened. Like a deer in the headlights, she stood in the middle of the room, motionless. It wasn't until Ágata waved at her that she was brought back to reality. 

" _Dios mío!_ I left you for five minutes and you're already flirting with someone!" Her friend exclaimed with an astonished expression as she sat down on a barstool next to her.

"You were watching?!" Raquel asked shockingly and took a long sip of the red liquid. Making a fool of herself in front of a handsome stranger was awkward enough, but someone else watching, _especially_ Ágata, added even more oil to the fire. 

"Well, most of it. But bumping into someone isn't the best conversation starter. You could've gone with something _not_ out of a nineties rom-com."

Raquel couldn't help but giggle and roll her eyes at that comment. She may not be the best at seduction, but even she wouldn't have such a ridiculous idea. "Do you really think that I planned to fall onto the floor in front of everyone?"

Raising the wine glass to her lips, Ágata rose her eyebrows and took a sip before replying. "For someone like him, I would."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Raquel frowned and nervously tugged at the sleeve of her dress. Although she didn't want to have that conversation again, she had to admit that she was curious about her friend's opinion on this situation. 

"He's hot! And totally your type."

A loud chuckle escaped her lips, which she didn't even try to fight. "How would you even know if a guy was my type? Besides, I didn't flirt with him."

Ágata didn't seem to believe a single word she'd just said. Instead, she placed a hand on her shoulder, which she squeezed lightly and continued in an earnest voice. "Sweetheart, I saw the way you looked at each other. You were undressing him with your eyes, and I'm sure that his thoughts were no different." She paused to place her empty glass on the countertop. "But there is one thing I don't understand."

"And that is?" Raquel asked, raising a brow while finishing off her wine. 

"Why you're talking to _me_ and not to _him_?!" Everyone around them turned their heads in their direction when Ágata exclaimed a little too loudly. 

"Because he left!" Raquel tried to explain in a more discreet voice. She also made a mental note not to let her friend have any more drinks that night, although they couldn't have been there for longer than an hour. 

However, Ágata suddenly started to laugh and shook her head. "He is sitting three seats away from you and is looking in our direction every three seconds," she said as she pointed at someone behind Raquel. "Go talk to him already!"

She turned around and there he was, sipping on a Margarita, and quickly looking away when he noticed the two women staring at him. The sight was very tempting, but Raquel's nervousness held her back. "I don't think I should."

"Are you kidding me? Don't tell me it's because of Alberto. He cheated on you, and now you need to get properly screwed!"

"Ágata!" Although her friend's straight-forwardness didn't surprise her, she couldn't help but act annoyed about her scandalous statement. 

"Don't tell me I'm wrong. Go already!" 

Maybe it was the alcohol or perhaps the fact that she knew that Ágata wouldn't let it go, but Raquel got up from the barstool and walked over to the man she bumped into earlier. A sudden wave of confidence overtook her once their eyes met, and the corners of his lips curled up.

"Hi," she greeted him as she sat down next to him and waited for his reaction. 

"Long time no see," the man smirked and ordered another drink with a single hand gesture to the bartender. "I don't think we had the chance to introduce ourselves properly yet. My name is Sergio."

"Raquel," she replied and felt a shiver run down her spine when she noticed him staring at her lips, then analyzing her entire body as if he wanted to study her. Usually, she would feel uncomfortable if someone tried to read her like an open book, but there was something about the way his eyes darkened when he laid them upon her cleavage that made her crave it. 

"So," Raquel cleared her throat and tried to break the intense silence, "are you here with a girlfriend?"

"No, I'm not." The answer was short, but it didn't give her all the information she wanted.

"A wife?" she continued.

"No." Sergio placed his chin in his palm and seemed to be amused by her little interrogation. 

"A boyfriend then?"

He let out a soft chuckle and finally gave her the reply she was trying to get. "I'm not in a relationship, my brother Andrés kind of forced me to come here. He said I'm spending too much time at home." 

Raquel wanted to ask him more questions about, well, pretty much everything. She found herself being fascinated by the man she hadn't even met an hour earlier. However, the drink he ordered finally arrived, and so did many more. The rest of the evening became a blur, and she wasn't entirely sure how it had happened, but the next thing she remembered was them being in a bathroom together. 

She remembered almost laughing when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, but the lust she felt when she noticed him standing a couple of steps behind her stopped her from doing so. It wasn't like her to seduce a man she met in a bar the same day, but the electric chemistry between them charged the small bathroom. He observed her with hungry eyes while keeping his distance, but she then turned to face him, and her legs moved automatically towards him on their own accord, and she didn't stop until she was standing in front of him, their chests almost touching, as she reached behind him to lock the door.

Sergio was on her in an instant, being as impatient as she was. He turned her back around and shoved her back against the cold sink, his strong hand immediately groping her breast. She moaned at the rough contact and imagined what he would do next, her panties dampening even more. He wasted no time attaching his lips and teeth to her neck while his hands roamed her curvaceous body. Raquel pushed back against him, wanting to gain a bit of control, and ground against the erection straining in his pants.

However, it was he who decided the pace. He was the one in control. Sergio groaned and pressed her back against the sink with a bite to her neck. Raquel moaned at the pain and pleasure and wished briefly that he'd leave bruises on her, so maybe she'd finally hurt Alberto as much as he hurt her.

All of her thoughts were out the window the second she felt his hand glide against her thigh, up her dress, and to her panties to rip them from her skin. Sergio then turned her around and hiked her up on the sink. Suddenly, he pressed his lips against hers with a burning passion, and it was everything she had imagined it to be. His lips were soft, but his kiss was rough, his tongue thrusting into her mouth to swirl with her, and she couldn't help but groan. He didn't stop kissing her, not even when her hands went to undo his belt and zipper and free him from his boxers, jacking him slowly. He was thick and heavy in her hands, and Raquel couldn't wait to have him inside her.

"Please," she pleaded breathlessly, guiding him to her wet entrance. He let her lead him to where she wanted him most, to where she needed him, and he took control the rest of the way, sliding in slowly.

Nothing existed at that moment but the two of them, and as Sergio quickened his pace, Raquel started to wonder where he'd been her entire life. The fast snap of his hips echoed off the walls, and she held on tightly to his back, her whimpers buried against his neck. Ágata was right, she really needed to get properly screwed, and he was doing a very good job at it. Her late-night fantasies would from then on be replaced by images of his hands running along every inch of her, his dark gaze, and the exquisite sensation of him completely filling her up.

She was pulled from her thoughts when he suddenly lifted her and slammed her against the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist and from this angle, he could dig in even deeper, but his pace remained quick. Raquel tried to suppress the moans coming from her mouth with her hand, but he didn't let her, and she could hear him groaning low in his throat as well.

Sergio laced their fingers together and raised them above her head. Her fingernails dug into his skin trying to hold on to something as the tingling in her core started to build.

Although he noticed that she would soon reach her peak, he didn't stop. Instead, he doubled his efforts and his hips became erratic chasing after his own release. His other hand reached between her legs to run quick circles on her clit, and she hastily kissed him to quiet her screams as she tumbled over the edge. There was a faint buzzing sound and something that sounded like a moan of her name when she slowly started to come back to her senses. Raquel glanced at the mirror, her lips swollen and hair disheveled. A long paper towel piece laid on the floor. She didn't remember hitting the button, and as she realized that, she smiled to herself.

Sergio pulled away from her and gently let her back down on her feet. He began putting on his pants again, and Raquel couldn't find it in herself to move. She was slightly surprised when he leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Her eyes followed him when he quickly exited the bathroom.

It wasn't until the door shut behind him that Raquel started functioning again, trying her best to look presentable before joining her friends at the bar. The rest of the night she couldn't recall. It all happened so fast that she wasn't sure if it was real or not, but all doubts where washed away when four weeks later, two thin lines appeared on a pregnancy test she took. Tears rolled down her cheek, as she thought of his dark eyes burning a hole right through her until there was nothing left to cry.

She thought she'd never see him again. That he would be nothing more than a memory buried somewhere deep in her mind. However, Raquel didn't know that nine years later, they would reunite in the most unexpected way possible.


	2. Soy el agua que mata tu sed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for all the lovely comments you left on the first chapter! It motivated me to write this one quicker than I had planned to :) I truly hope that you'll enjoy it as well and don't forget to let me know what you think of it! <3
> 
> P.S.: Chapter 3 will be next week, maybe from Sergio's POV? ;)

**First day of the heist**

_Hanoi_ had changed a lot in the previous nine years. After the old owner died in a car accident at a young age, his older brother took over the business and turned it into a café. There were no more loud music or young people getting drunk. Instead, Raquel came there almost every day after a stressful day at work to drink a warm cup of coffee or eat a quick meal. 

As she opened the door, she felt the familiar smell of freshly brewed coffee in the air, which she'd been desperately craving. She had been through a lot in the past few days, after all. A warm beverage was the least she deserved.

Raquel was the head inspector and negotiator of the biggest heist in Spain's history, if not of the entire world. If that wasn't enough, her co-workers weren't capable of dealing with the situation, but she couldn't blame them. No one has ever dealt with a group of people locking themselves in the Royal Mint, and with them, over sixty innocent hostages. Who would've thought that it would happen here of all places, while she had to take care of personal problems as well?

However, what surprised her the most was the person she was negotiating with, the Professor. Whoever this man was, he knew well what he was doing and what he wanted. He for sure wasn't a lunatic, his voice was too calm, and he seemed to be prepared for their conversations. With questions like _'what are you wearing?'_ , he tried to get into her head and distract her, but she wouldn't stop trying to solve the case until all the robbers went to prison. But after spending an entire night at work, she needed some rest.

Raquel walked over to the bar, took off her purse, and ordered one decaf while scrolling through her phone. It was six in the morning, and she figured that her family would be worried after she left unexpectedly the day before. At least she would be home when Paula would wake up for school, so she could help her get ready and give her a kiss before leaving. 

When she finally found her mother's phone number, she called it and waited for a response. Instead, she was greeted with the announcement that it wasn't currently available, and she sighed with annoyance. "Mamá, I've just finished, it's six-" she started to record a message, but she was interrupted with the sound of her phone shutting down. _Damn it!_

Driving back home would take her too long, and Raquel couldn't leave without getting and paying for her order. "Excuse me, do you have a phone charger?" she asked the bartender behind the counter, but he just shook his head and continued to prepare her coffee. 

She was _enraged_ but tried not to show it. There was no point in smashing her phone against the wall and storming out of the café. However, all her thoughts and anger suddenly disappeared the very moment she heard someone ask her a question two seats away from her. Except, it wasn't _someone._

"Do you want to use mine?" Raquel heard him say, but she didn't even register his words at first. All she could think about was his voice. His husky, but soft and soothing voice she'd been dreaming about for nine unbearable years. And out of all places, they reunite at the exact same bar they met and shared a quick but passionate moment. It felt like a dream, and she almost pinched herself to check. However, this time it was real.

She finally dared to turn to his direction and properly looked at him to confirm his identity. He changed glasses, and he looked slightly older, but it was definitely Sergio. Although her memory of him was blurry, and she sometimes wondered if he even existed out of her mind, she had no doubt that it was him. Wondering whether he remembered her as well, she studied his face for a while to see his reaction when he finally got to examine her properly as well. But she couldn't read him, even though she was a trained policewoman. Instead, Raquel decided to pretend as if the sight of him didn't awake any emotions in her and solely responded to his question with a neutral face. "Really? You don't mind?"

Sergio slightly shook his head and held out his phone for her to use. "No, no."

But she still hesitated to take it, because it nevertheless felt too absurd. She was scared of touching him because she feared that he would disappear into thin air once again. "Are you sure?"

He replied with a reassuring nod, and she finally took the phone from his hand, brushing against it for a split second. This short touch was able to rekindle the strong pull she felt towards him. "Thanks. I have to make some calls," she explained and unlocked the device. 

"It's all right," Sergio comforted her and gave her one of his charming smirks. She almost forgot how alluring he could be, although he seemed to be somewhat shy and reserved at first sight. 

"Thanks a lot," she smiled and forced herself to focus on the phone screen again. Raquel tried to stop her hands from shaking as she was typing the number, but she couldn't do so. Once she finally managed to dial it, she left a short message for her mother to let her know that she'd be home soon. Next, she tried to reach superintendent Sánchez, but he was unattainable as usual, so she recorded herself on his answering machine.

"This is Inspector Murillo. I know it's late, but I wanted to tell you that if Intelligence is in charge, due to I don't know which type of diplomatic interests, I'm not going to be your figurehead while those thugs force their way there. So I feel obliged to resign. Good night," she paused for a moment, then remembered what time it was. "Good morning."

Raquel could feel his piercing eyes on her, although she had her back turned to him. She wondered if it was because she was screaming at his phone, or because he started to recognize her and remember where he knew her from. Finally hanging up, she faced him again with a grateful smile and returned the phone. "Thanks." 

"You're welcome," he replied politely, and Raquel waited for him to say something more, she _wanted_ him to say something more. However, when it seemed that their short exchange was over, she disappointedly focused on her coffee instead. 

But suddenly, Sergio's rich voice filled the charged silence between them again, and the words which left his mouth made her heartbeat quicken. "Excuse me, but you're- It's you."

Raquel stopped stirring her decaf and held in a breath. Now that he did recognize her, she had no clue what to say or do. There were thousands of things she wanted to tell him, but it wasn't the time or place for that. However, when she finally glanced at him to see his reaction, she realized that he was pointing at the TV, which showed her on the news. _He only knows you from the case, you idiot,_ she thought to herself.

"Excuse me, when you negotiate with those people, do you give them what they want or do you just have a chinwag to buy some time?" Sergio paused to gaze at the woman before him, and he must have noticed the annoyed look on her face. "Well, don't answer me, I just-"

"Every case is different," Raquel interrupted him and tried to hide her upset expression by giving him a fake smile. That didn't seem to work, because he looked as if he regretted asking in the first place. 

"Sure, I'm sorry," Sergio apologized and blushed lightly. 

"But well, yes, we try to calm things down and buy some time," she finally replied to resolve the cramped tension between them. She didn't want to scare him off, not after all this time. When she saw him nod with understanding, she was able to relax again, and she finished off her coffee, leaving some euros on the counter. Raquel figured that there was no point in staying there any longer since they had nothing else to talk about, and her mother and daughter were probably waiting for her. So she got up, grabbed her purse, and thanked the bartender.

But she couldn't stop herself from taking one last look at him, and he stared back at her with dark, longing eyes. It was as if he was taking his last chance to analyze her as if he wanted to _study_ her so he could revive her in his dreams. _Just like he did nine years ago._

Then she decided to let him know she remembered him after all. "Goodbye, Sergio," she quickly added before closing the door behind her, not expecting a response from him. She only hoped that she wouldn't regret saying that later.

"Goodbye, Raquel," he replied with a hoarse voice to her surprise. _He remembered her too._

However, she didn't stop. She kept on walking until she reached the car and got inside, but she didn't start it. Instead, she finally released the tears she was holding back since she laid her eyes upon him. How dare he show up again while she was going through the worst period of her life? With all the mess she had to deal with at work, she also had a sick mother and an abusive ex-husband to take care of, not to mention a daughter Alberto wanted to take away from her. Paula wasn't even his, but she couldn't tell him, or god knows what he'd do. Raquel felt trapped, and in a way, she was.

Once she calmed down and her tears dried, she drove back home, trying to push away all her thoughts about Sergio. All she wanted was to go back to her family because she knew that they won't see each other often in the upcoming days. That heist wasn't going to be over anytime soon. 

Raquel opened the door to her house quietly and walked upstairs into her daughter's room. Instead of waking her by telling her what time it was as she usually did, she laid down on the soft sheets and cuddled against her. "Buenos días, Paulita," she greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. 

"Good morning, mamá," she replied with her eyes still closed and stirred slightly under her grip. "Where did you go yesterday?"

"I'm so sorry for suddenly leaving, cariño. But duty called and they needed me at the police station. Someone has to catch the bad guys, am I right?" Raquel asked and immediately felt better when she heard Paula chuckle.

"I understand, mamá," she reassured her mother as she turned to face her, opening her sleepy eyes. "Abuela said that you left for a man when you called her from a stranger's phone. Where you on a date?"

Raquel held in a breath as she recalled her brief reunion with Sergio, wondering if she'd ever get to see him again. "I wasn't, sweetheart. I just stopped by at a café, and when my phone died, a nice man lent me his phone to call you."

Paula stared back at her with curiosity. "And you weren't on a date with him? I wouldn't mind if you were."

Her eyes narrowed with astonishment about her daughter's words. "I promise that I wasn't on a date with anyone. And you wouldn't mind?" she asked back, wondering whether she understood her correctly.

"No, papá is also dating auntie Martha. Maybe you would be happier if you found a boyfriend, too."

Raquel couldn't believe her own ears. She hadn't dared to start a romantic relationship with anyone ever since her messy divorce, and she was taken aback by the fact that her daughter suggested it before she even considered it herself. "Trust me, Paulita, I couldn't be happier than I am right now laying in bed with you," she placed another kiss on her head and looked at the clock on the nightstand. "You should be getting ready for school now. What do you want for breakfast?"

Paula's eyes widened with joy, and she immediately jumped out of bed. "Can we have pancakes with blueberries, please?"

Raquel couldn't resist her charming smile, which reminded her strongly of someone else who held a special place in her heart. "Of course, cariño."


	3. El castillo, la torre yo soy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you @MegShea from Discord for proof-reading this chapter, you helped me a lot!
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are much appreciated :) Chapter 4 will be up either this weekend or next week! <3

As Sergio laid in the bunk bed of his filthy warehouse, he couldn't prevent all of his thought drifting to her. Raquel Murillo, the woman who would arrest him for the biggest heist in history if she knew who he really was and what he did. But still, he couldn't stop analyzing every single moment he spent talking and looking at her - as Sergio and as the Professor. He pulled apart every word, every expression, and every movement she made in search of a deeper meaning. _What was happening to him?_

It had been nine years since they first met, they spent one blissful moment together, dreaming about her every night, she looked flawless in that dress, her voice which could've been that of an angel, the lovely way her nose wrinkled when she laughed. But what astonished him the most was her intelligence, which she'd once again proved during their negotiation. Raquel impressed him, and that wasn't a common occurrence. No wonder the police chose her as their inspector with her quick thinking and witty comments. 

Sergio never attempted to find someone to settle down with. While his older brother was getting married to a new woman every couple of years, stating she was the one each time, he avoided as much human interaction as possible in order to focus on the most important project of his life. He couldn't get distracted from accomplishing his father's dream, no matter the cost. Besides, he didn't believe he could ever fall in love with anyone. Although there was one person's touch he longed for desperately when he couldn't fall asleep late at night, trying to recollect every single detail about their first encounter. He was screwed, and he knew it. 

It wasn't part of his plan to meet her at _Hanoi_ , at least not of the one he presented to his crew. All he wanted was to lay his eyes upon this woman one last time, drinking in the sight so his memories would be more accurate once he'd spend the rest of his days on an exotic beach somewhere in eastern Asia. However, when her phone suddenly died, and she seemed to be upset about that, and how could he not give her his? 

The bright smile that formed on her face when he offered her his help had to be the most magnificent thing he had ever experienced, right after the little rendezvous they once had in the bathroom nearby. Sergio noticed his mistake the moment he opened his mouth, but he couldn't hold back, and what were the chances that she would remember him?

It was a long time ago, and Raquel had moved on. She got married, had a child, and a steady job. For several years she was Raquel Vicuña, at least until she filed for divorce and accused her husband of domestic violence. How did Sergio know? He hated to admit it, but he pulled some strings to obtain as much information on her as he could, even before the final preparations for the heist. While skimming through her files, he couldn't help but wonder if their lives would've been better if they did something different that evening.

Sometimes he wished that she would have called him after he left her his phone number on the napkin, which he put into the pocket of her jacket. When after a week of regularly looking at his phone and immediately checking every notification she still hadn't reached out to him, he figured that it was nothing more than a one night stand. Raquel was quite drunk, and maybe she didn't even remember having sex with him, although it was all he could see when he closed his eyes. 

But then she said his name, and there were no words to describe how he felt. His heart skipped a beat, and the tie around his throat somehow tightened. There was no point in pretending to be a friendly stranger anymore, so he decided to let her know that he recognized her as well. It could've been the stupidest thing he'd even done, putting the heist and everyone involved at high risk, but what if it would help him gain some additional information? Sergio wanted her to stay so they could talk about, well, anything. However, she left without turning around. 

Upon returning to the warehouse, he almost forgot to check in with his crew. But after Andrés, or much rather Berlin, called and reassured him that everything was alright, he could finally focus on processing the events of the previous twenty-four hours. Sergio only laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling for several hours, until another call interrupted his train of thought, except it wasn't his brother this time.

He slowly got up, put on his jacket and headset, and grabbed a piece of paper he started to fold while pressing the 'accept' button. "You don't find this special connection quite peculiar? I was just about to call you, at this very moment," he greeted her and made himself comfortable in his chair. 

"Well, considering I'm the negotiator and you the robber...," Raquel replied, and he smiled to himself as the realization of their situation hit him.

"But we shouldn't allow this felony to interfere with our relationship. I don't know about you, but I see this as a chance," Sergio implied as he ran his fingers across the paper in his hands, soothing the edges. Usually, he would get nervous during flirty conversations, but the origami technique his father showed him during a stay in the hospital as a child helped him relax. 

"A chance for what?" she asked back, keeping a neutral tone. 

"To get to know each other. I assure you that if we had met in a bar, you wouldn't have paid much attention to me," he teased, conscious of the hint he left her. Although he was aware of its impact and her intelligence, he knew that she wouldn't connect the two dots, at least not yet. Besides, it made him feel slightly better about having to lie to her.

"Tell me, inspector," he started and hesitated for a moment to prepare for what he wanted to ask next. "Have you ever faked an orgasm?" 

There was a long silence on the other side of the line. Raquel was in an inconvenient situation with at least twenty other people listening to them, and she certainly didn't expect to be asked such a private question. "No."

"Please, inspector, I beg you, don't lie to me. Think about it." 

"Maybe yes, maybe I've done it," she finally replied with confidence in her voice. "Look, men are programmed to ejaculate within the shortest time. Women, to last the longest time possible. And that small feature of nature sometimes is solved with a fake orgasm."

Images of her trembling underneath his grip suddenly flashed before his eyes, of the way she kissed him to quiet her screams and dug her nails into his shoulder as she tumbled over the edge. "And that's nothing but a small swindle," he stated, wondering if what they had wasn't real either. "A lie."

The negotiation continued with him requesting some medicine for the hostages and her ordering his crew to surrender since the police had obtained pictures from the inside. Raquel gave him some time to consider her proposal, but he already knew his answer. Sergio just wanted her to call him again because he had to admit that he quite enjoyed their exchanges as the Professor and the Inspector.

But now that he had some time for himself again, he decided to go for a walk. It was a windy October afternoon, and colorful leaves flew all around the streets of Madrid, making the city more vibrant as golden sunbeams shone upon them. Sergio observed the merging of nature and the modern buildings with fascination and didn't even notice that he suddenly stood in front of _Hanoi_ until he randomly looked through its window. He immediately recognized Raquel sitting inside by herself, most likely enjoying her lunch break. It was his chance to make up for their conversation the previous day. Was it fate or pure coincidence?

As he opened the door, he instantly noticed the sudden change of temperature. He didn't know if it was from the café's heating or the way she looked at him with astonishment from across the room. 

"Hello," Sergio approached her with a shy smile as he put his hands out of the pockets of his coat. 

"Hi," she greeted him back and placed the sandwich she was holding on the plate. It was barely touched, and he figured that she lost her appetite because of all the stress she had at work.

"May I sit down?" he asked, pointing at the free seat in front of her, and Raquel nodded. He sat down, and a waiter offered him the menu, but he promptly returned it, saying he wasn't hungry. However, when he noticed her troubled expression as she played with a toothpick, he finally decided to say what he wanted to get off his chest ever since she left the day before.

"I'd like to apologize for yesterday. I didn't know how to..." Sergio paused to find the right words, "react when I recognized you."

The smile that formed on her face was so lovely, that he couldn't help but reciprocate it. "There's no need to, I didn't know what to say either, to be honest," she admitted and looked him straight in the eyes. "And thanks again."

"For what?" Unsure of what she was referring to, he nervously pushed his glasses up his nose with his index finger.

"For lending me your phone yesterday. Not everyone would've offered it to a stranger. It's something rather private," Raquel replied, and he could swear he saw a little blush on her cheeks.

"That was no issue, honestly. I barely even get messages. Besides, you're not really a stranger to me, are you?" he smirked.

"I suppose you're right," she chuckled in response. 

Sergio suddenly felt exactly the same as he did nine years before, when they were laughing and talking about everything and nothing while getting drunk, instead this time, he craved to build a more personal connection with her. Questions about her family were his way to go, he figured. "I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business, but were you able to reach your mother? I heard that she wasn't picking up."

"She's just a little forgetful, and she probably just didn't hear it at first. But she replayed the message later, and joked about me calling from my secret boyfriend's phone with my daughter," Raquel confessed, trying to lighten the mood.

"You have a daughter?" Of course, he knew that she did, but she never told him that herself, so he had to act surprised.

However, something in her eyes changed, as if she suddenly realized she said too much, and he couldn't quite understand why. "I do, and her name is Paula," she answered after a while, and Sergio suspected her to tell him more, but she didn't, although it seemed like she wanted to. 

After a moment of silence, he decided to change the topic. "And I'm assuming you're also married?"

"Not anymore," Raquel sighed and faked a smile. "I got divorced two years ago, and now my ex-husband has a restraining order for ill-treatment. He used to abuse me physically."

Sergio didn't expect her to open up about her complicated and painful past so quickly. "I'm so sorry that you had gone through an experience so... Well, if you need some kind of help, I can always give you a phone, a bodyguard with glasses," he rambled until he remembered how sensitive that issue must be for her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have joked about something like that. I'm a jerk."

"No, don't worry," she assured him, and it seemed like his help offer cheered her up a little bit.

"I apologize. But I see you and it doesn't fit. It's not what I imagine when I think about..." 

"About what? A battered woman?" Raquel interrupted him before he could finish. "Because I've got a gun, right? Listen, the reality is that it doesn't start with a smack. In that case, nobody would be with a violent man. It's the other way around. You fall in love with a charming and intelligent man who makes you feel like the center of the universe."

Sergio was taken aback. He was speechless. He had already known what happened to her and who caused it, but those were only the facts. He had no idea of her point of view and how she must have felt enduring so much suffering. 

"And when he asks you to change your profile picture and use a picture of your daughter, you think it's cute. And when he tells you not to wear a miniskirt to work, you think to yourself that you're a woman who works in a men's world, he's actually protecting me. And then one day he raises his voice-"

"You don't have to tell me," Sergio intervened, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. 

"Yes, yes, I need it," she continued with more calmness in her voice.

"Look, it's like going down steps little by little," Raquel explained. "Like in those horror films where somebody goes down to the basement and everybody thinks: 'Don't go downstairs. Don't do it.' But you do it. That's where I got the first slap. And then the second, and the third. And finally, I got a divorce."

"Didn't you report him?" he asked with his throat dry. 

"No," she shook her head and looked out of the window. "He was a police officer, the most popular guy in the station, and I just wanted to lose sight of him. I guess I was ashamed to sit down in front of my boss and tell him about a year and a half of humiliation and blows. I've got a 9mm HK in my holster, but I really don't fucking know how to take care of myself."

"Don't say that," he interjected, but not out of pity. He was sure that she was a strong, independent woman who could take care of herself if she needed to. Her past damaged her, but she would heal with time. 

"But the real drama came some months later. Because my sister fell in love with him. They started going out and traveling. And then I reported him, late and without evidence. Because I didn't want my sister to get into that hell. Do you understand?"

Sergio nodded, but he didn't understand how anyone could hurt her like this or how no one would believe her. He could _feel_ the pain in her gorgeous eyes.

"But, sure, I only seemed to be a pathological jealous woman making a fake complaint. 'See? The inspector didn't report him back then but she does now that he's with her sister.'" Raquel wiped away a single tear and put away the toothpick she was twirling in her fingers.

"But, Raquel, the police or the judges must believe you, it's impossible not to believe you. Now I've felt the emotion and the helplessness. There must be someone who can help you," he argued, and he could feel the corners of his eyes getting watery as well. 

"Who's going to help me?" she asked hopelessly and let out a sigh.

"Me," Sergio replied instantly without thinking. "Sorry, I don't know how I could help you, but-" 

"Thanks." Her hand was suddenly on top of his, squeezing it lightly, and her lips formed a grateful smile. For a moment, he thought his heart would jump out of his chest. Everything he'd been dreaming about was happening, and a sensation he hadn't felt before overtook him. He thought about how to define it, recalling all the books he read about psychology and sociology, but only a quote he once heard from his brother seemed to describe his feelings. _"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."_

"Hey, Raquel," a man walked up to them out of nowhere and interrupted their tender but brief moment. If it didn't seem like they knew each other, Sergio would've told him to go away.

"Ángel, what are you doing here?" she asked confused, and quickly let go of his hand, leaving him feeling somewhat _empty._

"There was a shooting at the Royal Mint, and I couldn't reach you, so I figured that I would find you here," Ángel replied and eyed Sergio with distrust, who finally realized who the man standing before him was. It was her co-worker.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go," Raquel apologized and grabbed her purse, leaving some euros for the bartender on the table.

"I understand, someone has to catch the bad guys," he joked and got one last smirk from her before she left _Hanoi_ side-by-side with the subinspector. 

Sergio didn't know how much time exactly he spent sitting at the café, but the waiter asked him at least three times whether he'd like to order something without getting an answer. His thoughts were elsewhere, but for once they weren't with the heist. The only thing he could focus on was the beautiful inspector who tried to put an end to it, and how he had to lie to her and possibly break her even more, although it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Until that day, he only allowed himself to reminisce on their encounters at night. However, now that they seemed to get closer again, he couldn't prevent himself from imagining how her lips would feel against his after all these years or questioning whether she felt the same about him all the time. He was _terrified_ because this distraction could lead to troubles and complications, which he should avoid if he wanted to leave the country with 2.4 billion euros and a group of criminals. Sergio needed to be more careful.

The sound of his phone ringing brought him back to reality. He looked at the screen, but the call was from an unknown number. Slightly skeptical, he picked it up and looked nervously around him. "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Mariví Fuentes speaking, Raquel's mother. I tried reaching her, but her phone must be dead again. There was an emergency with Paula, do you know where she is?"


	4. La espada que guarda el caudal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank the spectacular @MegShea for once again proof-reading this chapter, @Nala147 for providing some helpful information about the Spanish education system, and every single person who left a Kudo or comment so far! I'm very fortunate that I got to meet so many amazing people through this fanfiction <3 Chapter 5 will be up next week!

"Hello, this is Mariví Fuentes speaking, Raquel's mother. I tried reaching her, but her phone must be dead again. There was an emergency with Paula, do you know where she is?" Sergio heard the panicked woman ask him through the speaker, and he fell quiet. Frankly, he had no clue what to do or say. Was it a good idea to get involved with her family and personal life while he was carrying out the biggest heist in history and planning to leave the country in a few days?

"I'm sorry for calling you out of nowhere, but my daughter used your phone a while ago, and I thought that maybe you would help me find her. And who exactly am I talking to?"

Finally, making a decision, he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm sorry, my name is Sergio Martín, and I'm Raquel's, ugh, friend," he devised quickly. "As far as I know, there was a shooting at the Royal Mint, and she had to leave immediately."

_There was a shooting at the Royal Mint._ It hit him just then that his crew could be in danger, and he was sitting at _Hanoi_ chatting with an elderly lady through the phone. He should've been in the control room, finding out what had happened and what caused it, and most importantly, if anyone was hurt. However, he wasn't able to leave until he was sure that Raquel's daughter was fine. It shouldn't have been relevant, but something changed in him in the past twenty-four hours. 

"Do you work with the police? Could you tell Raquel to reach out to me?" Mariví begged, her voice brittle.

"I'm very sorry, but I'm not a police officer, and I doubt that I would be permitted to talk to her right now," Sergio replied, feeling somewhat remorseful for not giving the woman the answer she desired. "Is there another way I could help?"

"Well, Paula didn't feel good at school, and she had to be picked up. She is at home right now, but I have a very urgent doctor's appointment in an hour I have to attend, and I can't leave her at home alone. Would you be able to look after her? She's a well-behaved girl, and it shouldn't take me more than two hours."

Sergio closed his eyes and considered her request. He was already disappointed in himself for letting himself get distracted by Raquel to the point where he was ready to leave the project of his life behind. "No personal relationships" was one of the most important rules he ordered his crew to follow, and he was the one who neglected it in the end. Emotional attachment lead to chaos and a lack of objectivity, and he wanted to avoid it as much as possible. However, he wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror if something happened to her daughter because of his callousness. But he had to take care of something else first.

"Of course, would you please give me your address?"

The woman gave him the necessary information, and he hung up, immediately leaving the café to return to the warehouse. It was only a five-minute walk, but it felt like an eternity. His heart was racing, and he couldn't even calm down once he closed the door behind him and dialed the Mint, hoping for someone to pick up.

" _Hermanito_ , I hope you had a good reason not to call us back for such a long time," his brother greeted him in a mocking tone. Sergio wasn't surprised by his behavior, he was also mad at himself for letting them down. He was supposed to be their guardian angel, after all.

"Are you alone right now?" he asked, confused by the use of his nickname. They agreed to keep their connection a secret from the rest of the team.

"Yes."

"Andrés, I had to take care of something important, but it's not relevant right now. Tell me what happened," he ordered while looking at the security camera recordings of the previous hour and folding a piece of paper.

"Denver and Moscow went on the roof, and a hostage was shot. Arturo Román, in case you were wondering. We have already stopped the bleeding," Andrés explained in a calm voice, and Sergio sighed with relief. It was nevertheless a complicated situation, but he could use it to his advantage. 

"Try to quiet things down inside. I will talk with the inspector," he replied and ended their conversation, contacting the police right after. This time there was no flirting or mind control as the mysterious Professor, he simply got to the point, and allowed a surgeon to enter. There was something else he promised to do.

Catching a cab to get him to the suburbs of Madrid, Sergio managed to arrive at Raquel's residence in less than thirty minutes. From the outside, it looked like every other gray house in the street, but the flowers in all colors of the rainbow leading up to the porch made it stand out slightly. It amazed him how such a small detail could change a dull building into a place that felt like home.

Paying and thanking the driver, he tensely made his way over to the door. Before he could even reach it and knock, it flew wide open, and the woman he recognized as Raquel's mother stood in front of him. "You must be Sergio," Mariví approached him with a wide grin and hugged him tightly. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for coming so quickly."

He was surprised by her tactility, but it also helped him relax and feel more comfortable in her presence. Meeting someone's parents can often be stressful, horrifying even, especially when it's done behind a friend or partner's back. "That's no problem at all. I live nearby," he replied, lying a little.

"Well, come on in!" The woman let go of their embrace, and Sergio did as she told him, following her inside. As he stood in the hallway, he couldn't help but smile to himself as he observed the room. It was kept simple, the walls and furniture were white, but the vast amount of family pictures and other decorations made this place feel cozy and warm. It was exactly like he imagined Raquel's house to look like.

"Paulita, could you please come here?" Mariví called out, and shortly after he could hear footsteps on the creaking wooden stairs. As he looked up, he spotted a young girl in overalls, who couldn't have been older than ten, with long brown hair and a captivating smile. However, she froze in place when her eyes flew to Sergio, probably confused by seeing an unannounced stranger. "Hi," she greeted him hesitantly.

"Hello. You must be Paula." He almost extended his hand to shake hers, but quickly remembered that he was talking to a child and nervously pushed the glasses up his nose instead. 

"Yes. Are you mamá's secret boyfriend?" the girl asked in return; his cheeks instantly flushed. 

"No, we're just friends. Did she tell you something different?" he said in a low, concerned voice. Although he had no clue how to describe their — well, unusual relationship, he was sure that Raquel wouldn't use the term _boyfriend._

However, Paula shook her head, and the joyful grin reappeared on her face. "She just said that she met a nice man, and Abuela told me that she was on a date."

"It was just a joke. _Cariño_ , I have to go to the doctor now, but Sergio will look after you. Will you be fine?" The older woman interrupted them before the situation could become more awkward. When the two of them nodded simultaneously, she kissed her granddaughter's forehead and put on a coat. "Have fun, you two! I left some paella in the fridge if you get hungry. You have my phone number just in case, right?"

"I do, thank you," Sergio answered, watching as Mariví left in a hurry, putting some post-it notes in her pockets. He wondered what was written on them, but they didn't occupy his mind for too long, because Paula's big brown eyes were staring at him. They resembled her mother's a lot. 

"You look smart. Could you help me with my homework, please?" the girl begged, and he couldn't resist the look on her face. Usually, he wasn't very fond of children, but she had an enormous effect on him. It could've been because of her Raquel like features, but she also reminded him strongly of someone else, he just couldn't figure out who.

"What is it about?" he asked while getting rid of his shoes.

"Social Studies."

"You're in luck because I used to read a lot of books about history and geography when I was a child," Sergio admitted, and a sudden wave of confidence overtook him as he realized that he could teach her something he was passionate about himself. Almost like in the classroom in Toledo, except he wouldn't be describing a heist plan to a group of criminals.

"I like this subject, but my teacher can't explain it to us. He just tells us to read a lot of pages that we don't even understand, and he won't answer our questions," Paula complained, and he knew in an instant what he had to do.

"You need a better teacher then."

Sergio had never seen a smile as wide as the girl's when he agreed to help her. She immediately ran back to her room just to return with a book seconds later. Then they sat down by the table in the kitchen together on opposite sides of each other, discussing why dinosaurs are extinct and how 'cool' it would be if there were still alive, according to Paula. Although he had no experience with children whatsoever, he was fascinated by how attentive and eager to learn Raquel's daughter was - another trait she inherited from her mother. But the more time he spent in her presence, he also noticed that he started to build a bond with her. _He grew attached._

* * *

Raquel could leave the police station earlier than she expected to. Everyone was tired, and they couldn't get anything done with sleep deprivation anyway. The moment Ángel and the surgeons returned from the Royal Mint, the colonel advised her to go home and promised that he would keep an eye on the robbers. She wanted to resist at first, but when she opened her mouth to argue, she yawned instead and was handed her car keys. 

Twenty-five minutes later, she was trying to open the door to her house, fumbling with her keys to find the right one. Raquel was indeed exhausted, and she started to notice the side effects of it. However, once she was eventually able to enter, Paula's voice coming from the kitchen made her forget about every single worry and the mess at work. She was finally at home.

"So the scientists could recreate dinosaurs with the DNA won from their fossils?" she could hear her ask, and she wondered whether she convinced Abuela to help her with her homework again, although history wasn't her strong suit. 

However, when she put away her purse and took a peek inside the kitchen, her mother wasn't there. Instead, she saw Sergio seated next to her daughter, pointing at something in her social studies book and looking at her with this charming smile that sent butterflies to her stomach. "Theoretically, yes. But it's much more complicated in practice." 

Before Raquel could say anything, she froze and observed the scene in front of her. Her heart melted at the domesticity of it all. She spent years dreaming about what it would be like to return home after a long day and be greeted by this sight, except they didn't know. _He didn't find out, did he?_

"Hi, mamá! Your friend Sergio told me how to make dinosaurs!" Paula suddenly exclaimed and brought her back to reality. The grin on Raquel's face disappeared when he turned in her direction as well, staring at her with a shocked, maybe even scared expression as he picked up on her unease. The warning lights were finally blinking in the back of her mind.

"Where is Abuela?" she asked, her eyes still fixated on Sergio as if trying to find an answer to all of her questions in his. 

"She's at the doctor, but she should be back soon," her daughter explained, clearly unaware of the charged tension between the two adults, but Raquel didn't want to start a fight in front of her. 

"Sweetheart, I think it's enough studying for today. Say thank you to Sergio and go brush your teeth, ok?"

Paula got up from the chair and grabbed her book, slightly disappointed, and placed a quick kiss on Sergio's cheek. She could tell that he was blown away because a goofy grin appeared on his face, and he was almost as red as a tomato. "Thank you!"

However, she didn't let that adorable scene overcloud her judgment. "What the hell are you doing here?" Raquel asked him in a harsh but quiet tone once her daughter left the room.

"I'm so sorry, Raquel. Your mother called me earlier today because she couldn't reach you and asked me to look after Paula. She promised it wouldn't take long, and I couldn't say no," he clarified, seeming genuinely repentant. 

"Where did she have your number from?" she asked back, perplexed by all the amount of information she had yet to process.

"You used my phone to leave her a message, remember? She thought that maybe I could help her find you." Upon seeing his guilt-ridden eyes behind his black glasses, she nearly entirely forgave him in an instant. "I sincerely apologize, I shouldn't have invaded-"

"Did you?" Raquel interrupted his explanation, which wasn't necessary anymore. 

"Did I what?" Sergio didn't understand what she was referring to and stood up to straighten his suit.

"Did you teach her how to recreate dinosaurs? I don't want a Tyrannosaurus Rex running around my house tomorrow," she finally joked to lighten the tense atmosphere, feeling a smile spread across her face, which he returned. 

"I only explained to her how it could work, but it's much more complicated than that, so don't expect any prehistoric animals under Paula's bed," he responded to play along, and she noticed his muscles relax under the layers he was wearing, which he had too many of in her opinion.

All her doubts and worries suddenly vanished. "Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. She's a delightful student, just as smart as her mother," Sergio added silently with a sly smirk. _Was he flirting with her?_

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" she blurted out, not sure how else she should react to his comment. 

"I just had some paella with your daughter, so I'm not hungry. But please tell Mariví that it was delicious. I haven't eaten such a good homemade meal in ages."

"Would you fancy a coffee then?" she offered again, hoping he would agree.

"That's a very tempting offer, but unfortunately, I have to go now," Sergio replied regretfully as he started to walk in the direction of the hallway. However, he suddenly stopped a few inches away from Raquel who still stood in the doorway, and she could feel his warm breath on her skin. "How about dinner at _Hanoi_ tomorrow?"

Her eyes widened, and her heart-beat quickened. "Is this a date invitation?"

"Only if you want to," he shrugged, and she found his nervousness quite charming.

"I like the sound of that. I finish work at eight, do I meet you there?" she asked while running her fingers up his arms, which he seemed to enjoy judging by his low chuckle. 

"I wouldn't miss it," Sergio almost whispered in her ear, and a tingling sensation between her legs reminded her that all of this was real. "See you tomorrow."

Raquel watched him leave her house with a smile, although she wished he would've stayed for the night. It couldn't have been a coincidence that their paths kept on crossing, right? Maybe the universe wanted to send them a sign, to finally say what was on their minds for far too long, especially since the magnetic force that was drawing them closer reappeared...or perhaps it never left? 

* * *

Sergio didn't get a cab to drive back to the hangar, although the sun had already set. Instead, he decided to walk through the beautifully illuminated streets of Madrid in order to clear his mind, or rather more, analyze each event from the day, dissecting every piece and looking at it from every perspective possible. 

He invited _Raquel Murillo_ on a date, and she said yes. He would actually go on a date with the woman of his dreams. Well, maybe he was dreaming, and he would wake up at any moment, although he wished this feeling of ecstasy would last for eternity. However, his thoughts suddenly drifted to Paula, the young girl who stole his heart in less than two hours. He still couldn't figure out who she resembled so much besides her mother, wondering if by any chance he accidentally met Raquel's ex-husband before. Maybe someday, he would find out.

Right after he passed his favorite café, someone unexpectedly pulled him into a dark alley. He was ready to fight back, but he made up his mind when the voice which told him to be quiet sounded somewhat familiar. Once they stepped into the light of a lantern, he could finally identify the man as Ángel Rubio - the sub-inspector who walked in on him and Raquel at _Hanoi_. "You're Raquel's friend from the café, the one she was holding hands with, right?"

"Yes, that's me," Sergio confirmed hesitantly. 

"Would you mind if we had a little talk?"


	5. Tú, el aire que respiro yo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a little bit longer than I expected, but it's finally here! A huge thank you to @MegShea who once again offered her proof-reading skills, you're amazing. ❤ 
> 
> I don't know when I'll update it, but I'll have the next week off and I will have enough time to write. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think of it 😘

That night, Sergio tossed and turned in his bed, unable to fall asleep. Thousands of thoughts were racing through his mind, and after three unbearable hours, he gave up trying to fall asleep. It was a lost cause anyway. He sighed as he looked at the alarm clock next to him, realizing it was almost two in the morning. Finally, he decided to get up in search of a distraction. There wasn't much he could do - he had four hours left until the next check-up call, and the warehouse was already filled with all kinds of origami figures. Suddenly, his eyes landed upon the headset on his desk, and without thinking too much, he put it on. 

Earlier that day, when the surgeons entered the Royal Mint with an undercover cop who was no other than Ángel, his crew planted a tiny microphone in his glasses. That way, Sergio could listen in on him and the police without anyone suspecting anything. The only problem was that the same sub-inspector paid him a little visit to his hangar, and he had to improvise with what he had. Sergio hadn't expected Ángel to have followed him from Raquel's house and dragged him into a dark alley, which forced him to show the place where he lived. 

So he made up a story with an apple cider barrel and told him that he was an amateur brewer who didn't have enough money for anything better, but Sergio was aware of how the warehouse looked like when they showed up. The old car tires and plastic sheets that covered up his heist equipment didn't seem to appeal to his guest, and it didn't surprise him. Ángel didn't trust him, and he was sure that he would eventually inform Raquel about it. That was another reason why he wanted to overhear his conversations. 

With the headset turned on, Sergio returned to his bed and made himself comfortable again. He could hear some distant voices and clinking glasses, he assumed that the man was in a public area, most likely a bar. However, the sound of a phone dialing startled him, and when he realized who he was calling, his entire body tensed. 

"Hello, Raquel. Were you sleeping?"

"No, what's the matter?" she replied with a sleepy voice, and he imagined her lying in bed, relaxed and only in minimal clothing. She must be a delight to wake up next to in the morning as soft sunbeams shine upon her golden hair and her delicate face. He shook his head in an attempt to get rid of these images. 

"Nothing, relax, have you got a minute?" Ángel proceeded, and judging by his tone he had a beer or two before he called. 

"Give her rest, man, she must be worn out," Sergio mumbled to himself, although he was aware that no one could hear him. If Raquel found out about her co-worker's suspicions about him, she might cancel the date.

"Yes, sure."

"Sorry to be so direct, but what was all that about Andy Warhol?" he heard the meddlesome sub inspector ask, and widened his eyes with surprise, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding in.

"Excuse me?" Raquel seemed to be as confused about the question as him. 

"That, about being full of surprises. What's wrong, I'm not supposed to like museums or modern painters? I'm not supposed to like something other than the Atleti?" Sergio chuckled as he listened to the man's pointless rant. 

"Yes, of course, you are. It took me by surprise because I didn't know," she explained and yawned loudly. She must've been exhausted, which was reasonable after spending an entire day trying to catch dangerous criminals, or much rather lure them out of their hiding spot. "Listen, Ángel, I'm really tired. Can we speak tomorrow?"

"The guy I saw you holding hands with. Would you sleep with him? Tell me, I want to know," he ordered, and Sergio sat up with anticipation. The date invitation wasn't even part of his plan, and if anything, it complicated it. Building a relationship would make leaving even more difficult. However, when she asked him to stay the previous day, and he stood so close to her, it just slipped out of him. But did she actually feel the same about him?

"Ángel, what's all this about?"

"Would you sleep with him, yes or no? Answer me," the man asked again, and he wouldn't have let it go until he got an answer.

"Well, yes, I would. Why not? I'm a free, 40-year-old woman, and the truth is that I could use a good bang to have something different to think about. So I surely would," Raquel finally replied with confidence. Taken aback by her straight-forwardness, Sergio let out a snicker and put away the headset. He had heard enough. Did she really confess to her co-worker that she considered having sex with him two days after their reunion? Maybe she was only tired, frustrated, and unaware of what she was saying. 

Nevertheless, his memories and imagination intertwined, creating exquisite and sensual images of Raquel, naked underneath his arms as he kissed every inch of her exposed skin. Suddenly, he felt his pajama pants tighten, and he attempted to calm himself down again with a breathing technique. _Only a few more hours until he could see her again._

* * *

It was seven in the morning when Raquel woke up from the sound of the alarm clock she forgot she set the day before. Groaning with annoyance, she pressed the snooze button, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, although she didn't get enough rest the previous night. Instead, she went downstairs to get coffee and noticed that her mother must have had the same idea because she already sat by the table with a mug, and the pot was filled. 

"Good morning, _mija._ How did you sleep?" Mariví greeted her with a soft smirk.

"Not enough," Raquel replied shortly, rubbing her sleepy eyes and looking for her favorite cup in the drawers. 

"I told you that this job will eventually be the end of you, you need a vacation!" the older woman stated, picking up on her daughter's unease.

"What I need is to catch those criminals. And coffee." Finally finding the mug her father bought her on a trip to Lisbon many years ago, she poured the hot brew and took a long sip.

"And to get your mind off of work for a while. Maybe your new friend could help you with this?"

"Mamá!" Raquel exclaimed, shocked that her mother would suggest such a thing. It may have been a while since her divorce, but they never talked about sex and relationships openly, not even before she got married. Either she looked really lonely and desperate, or Sergio made a great impression on her family. 

"What? He seems to be a real gentleman. So smart with his glasses and suit, he's totally your type. Not to mention great with kids," Mariví winked at her, and she felt her cheeks flush. 

"If I tell you that we're going on a date today, will you let it go?" Raquel added as she rolled her eyes and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"You are? I'm so happy to hear that, _cariño_!" Her mother stood up with a joyous smile and approached her with open arms, hugging her tightly. It was delightful to see how thrilled she got about her daughter's happiness, and judging by all the details she remembered about Sergio, it must have been her good day.

"Enough about me. How was your doctor's appointment yesterday?" Raquel interrupted their embrace, and both women suddenly got serious.

"I'm still waiting for the results, but please don't worry about me," Mariví comforted her, trying to look unconcerned.

"I will always worry about you, mamá," she replied, her voice almost cracking, and they glared at each other with sad smiles for a while. Having dementia isn't a struggle only for the sick, but for everyone around them. Before tears could escape her eyes, Raquel turned around to wash her empty mug so she could distract herself from all the dark thoughts. "I have to go wake up Paula and get ready. Don't forget the notes I left on the table so you won't forget to pick her up after school and do the laundry." 

"I promise I won't forget," her mother assured her, and she quickly kissed her cheek as she left the kitchen in a hurry. "I love you. See you later!"

"Good luck on your date!" She heard Mariví shout, and while she ran up the stairs, a feeling of utter contentment rushed through her. For the first time in years, Raquel felt the excitement of a sixteen-year-old girl who just got asked out by her crush, although she tried to hide it from everyone else. Ever since he left her house the day before, she couldn't stop thinking about his kind eyes and his cute dimples when he gave her one of his charming smiles. She knew exactly what this feeling meant, and it wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the secret she was keeping from him.

The sound of her phone vibrating brought her back to reality, and she let out an annoyed sigh as she saw the name that showed on her screen. "Ángel, if this is about yesterday-"

"No, it isn't. Listen, Raquel, I have to tell you something about Sergio."

* * *

It was shortly after eight when Sergio noticed Raquel open the door to _Hanoi_. If he hadn't been sitting in a chair by the window already, he would have probably lost his balance and made a fool of himself. She looked like a goddess, and he was ready to fall onto his knees and pray to her. The pink silk tank top with the black skirt and matching blazer perfectly accentuated her curvaceous body, and he couldn't resist glancing at her exposed cleavage. She was _breathtaking._

"Hi," she greeted him with a small wave and sat down across from him. For a moment, he was speechless and smiled broadly to hide his nervousness.

"Hello, have you found any dinosaurs yet?" Sergio asked some seconds later, referring to their exchange the evening before, and she chuckled as she read the cocktail menu.

"I haven't, but Paula was asking about you. You made a good impression on her," Raquel answered and looked up at him with a sparkle in her eyes. "And on me as well."

"I'm very pleased to hear that." 

A waiter suddenly approached them, and they each ordered a Mojito. Although he usually didn't drink alcohol, he allowed himself to celebrate on this special day. Once the young man walked away, Raquel returned her attention to him and frowned, as if trying to figure something out. "Are you a teacher?"

"As I matter of fact, I am not. However, there was a time when I considered it," he revealed. 

"Where do you work then?" she asked again, placing her chin on the back of her hand.

"I..." Sergio paused for a second to collect his thoughts and pushed his glasses up his nose like he always did when lying. "Make my own apple cider."

Raquel's eyes widened, probably amazed by his unusual profession. "You haven't mentioned it before." 

"It's more of a project than a job, and I just started it recently. I know that I haven't mentioned it before. I'm sorry," he apologized, realizing that she hardly knew anything about him. He had met her family already, and she trusted him enough to reveal her painful past, and he hadn't even told her about such basic things.

"You don't have to apologize. I just feel as if I didn't have the chance to get to know you properly yet," she explained in a slightly flirty tone as the waiter returned with their drinks. 

"Ask me a question about anything you want, then." 

Raquel seemed to like the offer because she chuckled and looked down at her Mojito. "Well, now I don't know what to ask you. What do you like to do in your free time?"

"When I'm not busy with figuring out how to brew the perfect apple cider, I mostly read books, do origami or meditate," Sergio admitted.

"That's quite remarkable. What kind of books do you favor?"

"I almost read everything, from philosophical theories to crime novels. Sometimes I even find myself enjoying poetry, especially by Pablo Neruda and Oscar Wilde," he confessed and almost lost himself in her brown eyes as she slowly sipped on her drink, listening attentively. He could imagine himself staring at her rosy lips, delicate fingers, long eyelashes - staring at her for hours. She must have noticed that he lost his train of thought because the corners of her mouth turned up, and he cleared his throat to continue. "As a child, I spent most of my time at hospitals, and they were the only entertainment I had. My father was working all day long, my mother died when I was just six, and my half-brother didn't know that I even existed yet."

"I'm sorry to hear that," her voice suddenly became low, aware that it must have been a sensitive subject, which it was. For a split second, it seemed like Raquel wanted to reach over the table to place her hand on his, but she wrapped it around her glass instead. "Let's change the topic, shall we? Now you ask me a question."

Sergio considered her request for a while, trying to think of something he didn't know about her yet. But he couldn't, so he decided to lean closer to her and flirt a little himself. "When will we start addressing each other less formally?"

"When you look at me under the table," she replied nonchalantly and raised her brow suggestively, not shocked by what he said. 

However, he was, and she left him speechless once again that evening. His mind was going a thousand miles per hour, chuckling as he noticed that her expression hadn't changed. "I warn you that if you're going to do something like in 'Basic Instinct', I might need something stronger because I'm a little conservative," he added as he carefully lowered his head, keeping eye contact with the woman before him for as long as possible. When he finally dared to peek beneath the table though, he was faced with a gun pointing at him. A shiver ran down his spine, not having expected that kind of surprise. _Ángel told her._

"Sergio, listen to me," Raquel ordered calmy not to raise any attention. "I don't want you to make a scene here. I'm quite sure that you're hiding something in that workshop where you supposedly make cider. So either you willingly take me there or we wait here until I get a search warrant, but I'm warning you that it could take a couple of hours. So you choose."

* * *

It was barely a ten-minute walk from the cafe to his supposed living space. Raquel observed as he unlocked the door, pointing her gun at him the entire time. Although the situation felt almost surreal and even wrong, she had reasons for believing that the man who suddenly returned to her life and gained her trust so quickly could be hiding something. She didn't want to listen to a single word Ángel had told her in the morning, but as a mother and policewoman, she was obliged to confirm her co-worker's suspicions. She had to check for herself whether Sergio was hiding something from her or if it was another case of her friend being jealous of every man she met. However, she also had to admit that it seemed as if Sergio wasn't very fond of sharing much personal information about him, and she let him near her daughter after all. 

Once they entered the building, she examined it from top to bottom. It looked indeed filthy and cheap, and she knew from experience that no average person would voluntarily live in such a place. 

"What's this?" she asked, attempting to appear as calm as possible, but she could hear her heart beating loudly against her chest.

"A warehouse," he replied shortly, sounding frightened and somewhat tense. No wonder since she was threatening him with a weapon. 

"And these sheets?"

"They're just plastics to protect from the cold," he muttered and looked over his shoulder. Raquel, however, held her stern gaze, and he turned around again.

"Keep walking," she commanded, following him right behind. After a few steps, they reached a circuit breaker box, and he glanced at her once again to get her permission to use it. When she nodded slightly, he opened it with a shaking hand.

"Switch the light on, and don't do any foolishness."

Sergio did just that, and within seconds, the entire room lit up. She lowered her gun as she watched the room from a different perspective. Thousands of tiny flickering lightbulbs illuminated the walls and furniture, and she was mesmerized by how such a small detail could have such an enormous impact on one's perception. There were indeed car tires and plastic covers, but they suddenly lost their repellent impression. It wasn't a shady workshop anymore, but a romantic fairytale.

"I told you that the cider is just a project, and I don't have money for anything better yet. I don't know whether it'll work or not," she heard him explain nervously as she tore down one sheet after another to reveal what was underneath it - _An apple cider barrel._

"And, honestly, I don't know what is on your mind. I don't know if your partner saw something illegal. It's true that some nights I sleep here on the bunk beds, and I have no certificate of habitability." He stood a few feet away, watching her from an appropriate distance as she wandered across the place. _A jukebox._

"I don't know if that's what he saw or that it has to pass some kind of inspection." _A keyboard._

"I don't really know," he sighed, and when Raquel turned around to look at him again, the stricken expression on his face made her heart break.

"The cider. Can I taste the cider?" she asked after she cleared her throat to break the tense silence.

"Sure, of course." Sergio grabbed an empty cup and filled it with his product. Carefully, she took a small sip of it, and it wasn't the best cider she'd ever had, but it was quite good, nonetheless. A feeling of shame and regret overcame her, and she couldn't even look him in the eyes anymore. How could've she had doubted him, especially after he finally opened up to her? He must've thought that she was crazy.

"I'm sorry, Sergio. This place is lovely. I feel very embarrassed for pointing my gun at you to force you to bring me over," she apologized and put away the cup. "The truth is, I would have rather showed you something else. I mean, some other thing as you call it, as in 'Basic Instinct', I don't know. I'd feel much less stupid and embarrassed than I feel now." Both chuckled at her comment, finally able to relax. "And To think that I almost sent my ex-husband over."

"Your ex-husband?"

Raquel approached him, standing only a few inches away from him. His closeness made her feel safe somehow, even after the stunt she pulled off. "Yes, I know he's a fucking jerk, but he's the best in the whole Scientific Unit because they had described this place as if it was a drug lab," she laughed at how ridiculous it sounded. "I'm sorry."

"Drugs?" He snored as well, and she was relieved that he loosened up again. Maybe they could still end the evening on a high note?

"Yes. I almost made an even bigger mistake."

Taking a deep breath, she finally dared to look into his eyes again behind the glasses that sat crookedly on his nose. It was as if she could see into his soul, and he told her that he would never do anything to hurt her, but without words. They didn't need them. 

Desiring to finally feel his lips against hers, she stood up on her toes and slightly tilted her head. The first kiss was hesitant, both of them too afraid of the other's reaction. However, when they parted just enough to catch a glimpse of each other's faces, Raquel immediately craved to taste him again, meeting him halfway as she urgently pulled him into another kiss. Her arms rested around his neck, later dropping on his lean shoulders as their breaths mingled. He first placed his fingers on both sides of her face, then they ran down her spine, drawing her closer until there was no space left between them. His touch was pure ecstasy.

However, she abruptly pulled away and placed her hands on his chest. Sergio seemed to be slightly concerned, but she gave him a reassuring smile. "I want you to know that I'll never pull out my gun again."

"All right," he replied quickly and crashed his lips against hers again, and although it was hard to resist his offer, she withdrew one more time.

"Or have any doubts about you." Raquel stared into his hungry eyes, searching for his forgiveness and understanding.

"Good."

Sergio suddenly pushed a loose hair strain behind her ear, and she couldn't fight against the lust she felt for him. There was only one more thing on her mind. "I think it's time to treat us less formally, isn't it?"

"I couldn't agree more."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a continuation of their "date" in chapter 6 😉


	6. Y la luz de la luna en el mar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I want to thank @MegShea for taking her time and proof-reading. You are an angel on earth! And I'm also very grateful for every single person who reads, comments and leaves kudos. You motivate me so much to write this story, it's unbelievable! 
> 
> I truly hope that you'll enjoy this chapter. I pulled some strings to post it a little sooner, and don't forget to let me know what you think! <3

"I couldn't agree more."

Sergio started to loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt while his eyes gazed upon Raquel's rosy lips. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her over and over again, tasting and exploring her with his tongue. For years he heard his brother tell him to find a woman he could settle down with so he'd have a different purpose in life than planning the biggest robbery in history. However, he didn't believe in love or sexual attraction. Of course, he had slept with women before, but there weren't many, and he never wished to continue a relationship. No one could mesmerize him.

But Raquel broke his code. She wasn't only stunning, but incredibly intelligent, strong, funny, generous - she was _perfect_ from every point of view, and she wanted to undress in front of him - _for him._ Suddenly, he heard voices two voices in his head, each telling him something different.

His analytical side, The Professor, who was a criminal mastermind and tried to manipulate her during the negotiations, told him to stop it immediately and end his relationship with her. He had been working on the heist half of his life, and he couldn't allow anything to hold him back from it. The lives of his crew and two billion euros were on the line, and he shouldn't risk them for a woman.

However, his compassionate side, Sergio Martín, who held her hand in the bar and took care of her daughter, the one who seduced Raquel, held him back and wanted him to give it a try. After nine years, he finally had the chance to touch the woman he'd been reminiscing about during his lonely nights. He could make another one of his dreams come true.

Both were the angel and devil on Sergio Marquina's shoulder, the one in control and who made all the decisions, but he couldn't tell which was which. Although he wanted to figure it out, he gave up trying very quickly. He was too busy crashing his lips against Raquel's and carrying her to the only comfortable place in the warehouse - the couch.

Of course, he expected her to talk to her co-worker, to have suspicions, and eventually want to visit his place. So he rented a space near his command-center for a few euros earlier that day after Ángel left, and decorated it in the most romantic way possible. He knew that she would fall for his little trap, but he also fell for hers. With every minute he spent with her, the lying became more and more unbearable. She deserved better, and he would attempt to make it up to her as much as possible. That evening, he would study her body, every single inch of her - so much so, he could write his own book about Raquel Murillo. He would run his fingers across each curve. He would listen to her breathing patterns, her moans - he was determined to make it the best night of her life. It was the least he could do.

The moment he laid her down on the soft surface, they broke their kiss and giggled like teenagers who fooled around in a car for the first time. Her laughter was the most lovely melody he had ever heard. However, her expression changed quickly, and the smile disappeared. Instead, her eyes were filled with lust and longing, and she delicately ran her fingers down his bare chest, which caused him to shiver with equal desire for her.

"Sergio," she whispered in his ear as she reached the rim of his pants, and he could feel the result of his arousal between his legs against her stomach.

"Raquel," he groaned back and placed his forehead on hers as he searched for the hem of her tank top, and once he did, he pulled it over her head to reveal a gorgeous red lace bra. Suddenly, a wave of nerves forced him to stop and retreat back, he felt his cheeks flush. Sergio had no clue how to remove it, and the last thing he wanted was to ruin this blissful moment with him fumbling with her undergarments. He didn't have that problem nine years earlier when they were purely driven by the urge to satisfy each other, solely removing her panties and his boxers. Luckily, she must have read his thoughts and sat up quickly, reaching behind her back and opening her bra with a small click, but keeping it on to let him take care of the rest.

"Lay back down," he ordered Raquel as he regained his confidence, shrugging his shirt down his arms and removing his glasses, and she did as she was told with a smug smile. Lowering himself enough to feel her warm breath against his skin again, he began to leave a trail of kisses down her neck until he nearly reached her breasts. She almost cried out with the need for him to finally touch her there, but he slowly pushed the bra straps down her shoulders instead. He wanted to take his time, afraid it would be over too soon.

Once they reached her elbows, he carefully lifted her arms to get rid of the last barrier that separated him from her entirely naked torso. He immediately threw it onto the floor and paused to savor the sight before him, placing his hands around the sides of her breasts and cupping them delicately, avoiding her already hard nipples.

" _Please,_ " Raquel begged urgently, running her fingers through his hair to pull him closer. Complying with her plea, he closed the remaining distance between them and took a nipple into his mouth, first flicking it with his tongue, then sucking on it. A loud moan immediately escaped her lips, and she tried to suppress the next by covering them with her hand.

"Don't hold back. I want to hear you," Sergio demanded and gently removed it, kissing her palm as he did so. The way she stared into his eyes with surprise made his heart ache. The last man she had slept with abused her both emotionally and physically, and she presumably wasn't used to making love with someone who only wanted to satisfy himself, but makes her enjoy it as well. It was his goal to banish all of her bad memories as long as he was by her side.

As he tended to the other breast, she let out every sound of pleasure without hesitation. It worked magic on his erection, and soon enough, they needed more. Raquel raised her hips to push down her skirt down her legs while Sergio frantically unbuckled his belt and undressed from his pants and boxers. He didn't even contemplate her reaction to his naked body, especially his private parts, but her pleased smile eliminated any doubts he might have had.

At that point, only the thin layer of her red panties kept them apart so he wasted no time tearing them down with his mouth. She chuckled as he did so, perhaps because of his beard scratching again her thighs. Once he completely removed them, he sat up again to examine the woman beneath his arms in her full glory.

"You look magnificent, and I hope you know that," he whispered in her ear and left a kiss right underneath it. When she nodded with a single tear running down her cheek, he tenderly dried it with his thumb and proceeded to replace his lips to the inside of her silky thighs, slowly approaching her most sensitive spot.

"You don't look bad yourself," Raquel added after a while with a smirk as she stared at him between her legs, and he paused for a second to smile back at her. Although he had never tried to satisfy a woman with his mouth before, he vowed to himself he would do everything in his power to fulfill her needs, so he carefully applied his tongue to her bundle of nerves. When she moaned with pleasure, he continued to increase the pace and pressure gradually. Soon her breathing quickened, and he was sure that she would reach her peak within the next few seconds. However, she suddenly grabbed him by his hair and gently pulled him away from her.

"What about you?" she asked, slightly out of breath. Sergio was taken aback by her question at first, but when he realized what she was referring to, he moved back up so their faces were level with one another.

"Patience is a virtue," he replied in a seductive tone and kissed her with a burning passion as he adjusted his position so she could wrap her legs around his hips. Then she put a hand between them and stroked his groin a few times, leading him to her soaking wet entrance. When he finally entered her, he pushed as deep as he could and paused. Both were overwhelmed by the sensation, and they took their time to relish it. _Patience is a virtue._

Finally, he began to move in and out, maintaining eye contact with the woman underneath him. He wanted her to see what she was doing to him, and he needed to see her reaction as well. But Raquel soon threw her head back and buried her nails into his shoulders, and the sensation sent another wave of arousal through him. Her touch, her groans, her silky walls tightening around him - Sergio couldn't believe that he survived so long without all this.

Once he set a higher tempo, he felt the tension build inside him, his hips erratic chasing after his release. Just a few more strokes were all he needed. However, Raquel suddenly cried out and trembled beneath him as she reached her peak, with that, he couldn't hold back any longer. He saw stars before his tightly closed eyelids as he tumbled over the edge, groaning loudly and pressing his forehead against hers. It was pure euphoria.

When he finally opened his eyes again, he noticed Raquel staring right back at him, breathless, but smiling. Sergio wasn't a religious man, but he wanted to thank every god in the universe for giving him another chance.

* * *

Raquel snuggled against him on the narrow couch, her hand on his rising chest and her head in the crook of his neck. Sergio held her tightly, clutching her to his side to make sure she wouldn't fall. Only two hours earlier, she was pointing a gun at him and willing to do unthinkable things, believing that he wasn't who he claimed to be. However, as their naked bodies joined and moved in perfect unison, she felt connected to his soul as well. At first, he was an enigma to her, but at that moment he was an open book - vulnerable, free, compassionate. Every doubt she had about him was overcome by the sheer desire to feel, to escape the real world and bad memories by losing herself in his arms.

She shifted slightly to better gaze upon his face, rubbing her nose against his beard in the process. His smile, genuine and amused, reminded her how good it was for both of them. The way he pressed his lips against hers as he carried her with impatience, the way every touch had seemed electric, sparks igniting under her skin and setting her on fire from within, the way he set aside his needs to ensure her pleasure first. It was so different from the time they shared in _Hanoi_ , yet she enjoyed it just as much. She wondered whether it depended on her mood, the setting, or simply the man.

But there was something else that didn't allow her to remove her eyes from him. Without the dark rims on his nose, she started to notice even more resemblance between him and Paula. The dark and thick hair, the jaw structure, and especially the slightly crooked but adorable smile. Everything about him reminded her of their daughter, and the guilt of keeping the secret from him for so long became stronger with every minute. But how was Raquel supposed to tell him? They just reunited, and the idea of him leaving again hurt even more. She couldn't risk it, not yet.

"What?" Sergio suddenly asked, interrupting her train of thought. He must have noticed her puzzled expression, so she faked a smile to hide her emotional turmoil.

"Nothing," she replied shortly, cuddling even closer to him.

"What? You were looking at me," he chuckled and turned his head to stare right back at her. She thought his eyes were the shade of brown, like sweet chocolate. The chocolate that melted at the slightest bit of the heat from love or joy. She already knew that color.

"I don't know, like this, with no glasses on, you look like a different person. Like Superman and Clark Kent," Raquel finally admitted, leaving out the most significant piece of information. She promised herself to tell him soon, but she didn't want to ruin the first moment in a long time when she felt genuinely _happy._

To her delight, Sergio placed a tender kiss on her lips. "So, you like me with glasses."

"No, I didn't say that," she pointed out, and couldn't help but giggle.

"I'll put them on. It's kind of weird to sleep with your glasses, but it's fine. I usually take them off, but today is a special day." Carefully, he reached for his black frames on the small table next to them without letting go of his grip and put them back on. "Better?"

She didn't know how to answer; on one side, she saw the Sergio she knew from Hanoi again, the handsome stranger who stole her heart faster than anyone had before. On the other, the small details which reminded her of Paula weren't as visible as before. Undecided, she put her hand on his cheek and kissed him, and he eagerly opened up to her. They almost got lost in each other once more, but she pulled away before it went too far.

"The thing is... I can't stay the night, I'm sorry," she apologized as she sat up to put on her clothes, and she felt his eyes burning through her from behind. "I don't know, I want to wake up at home with my daughter, drop her off at school. So she can see she still has a mother."

"Sure. But you still have at least seven or eight hours to drop your daughter off at school. If you are there at midnight or one or seven in the morning, it should be early enough," he argued, and although he made a good point, she had to deny his tempting offer. Once she put on her shirt, she turned around to look at him, at that moment, she couldn't resist and crashed her lips against his for the last time, hoping to remember his taste for as long as possible.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay."

Raquel grabbed her purse and blazer and said goodbye to Sergio, promising to call him later. As she was leaving the warehouse, she immediately started to miss his warmth and touch, her mind was clearly somewhere else as she walked out on the streets of Madrid. As she finally glanced at her phone, she noticed sixteen voice messages from Ángel and an unknown number calling her. When she answered, she heard an older woman tell her that her co-worker had an accident and he was in serious condition. She wanted nothing more than to get to the hospital, she waved at a taxi driving in her direction.

* * *

When Sergio woke up the next day around noon, he had two messages. One was from her mother, saying that Ángel had found the Professor and that it was the guy with the apple cider. Apparently, he hadn't mentioned his name because Mariví reached out to _him_ , asking to pass the information to her daughter. The other was a news report, stating that the sub-inspector of the Royal Mint case had a car accident the previous night and that he was in a coma. Sergio's mind was spinning, and for a moment he thought he would pass out. Once he regained his strength, he left the hangar with the goal to resolve his problems - or at least some of them.

As he drove to Raquel's home, he realized how much luck he actually had. Of course, Ángel obtaining his fingerprints could be a tremendous complication in the future, but with him out of the way for the moment, Ángel wasn't his biggest problem. It was the fact that her mother could reveal to Raquel and would associate with him, and he needed to make sure that it wouldn’t happen.

Once he found a parking space on her street, he walked up to the door and knocked, trying to control his shaking hands. He didn't even know what to say to Mariví. But to his surprise, the young girl he taught about dinosaurs opened the door instead. "Hello, Paula."

"Hi, Sergio!" she greeted him with a beaming smile. "Why are you here?"

"I need to talk to your mother, but my phone died. I was hoping to find her here," he lied, so he had an excuse to show up unannounced, and so he could find out whether Raquel, by any chance, was home. For once, he truly wished she wasn't.

"She's not at home, mamá is almost always at work," Paula replied, and her grin suddenly disappeared, a little sadness seeping into her eyes. For some reason, Sergio had to urge to comfort the little girl.

"Do you mind if I wait here?" he asked carefully, not wanting to overstep any boundaries.

"No, but you have to help me with my homework again!" she exclaimed, and his heart almost melted when the joyous expression returned on her face. He was more than happy to spend some time with her again.

"Deal," he agreed and proceeded to enter the house, looking for any other inhabitants. "Where is your abuela?"

"In the garden," Paula answered as she grabbed him by the hand and led him to the kitchen where she sat down by the table with an open math book.

But he needed to find a way to take care of his issue first. It was just a matter of time until Raquel would return home. He looked around in search of _something_ , and then he noticed the device on the counter, and it struck him. "May I use your phone?" he asked, and the girl nodded, focused on her homework.

Sergio picked it up and sighed with relief when he realized that Ángel left a message, which he deleted right away. It meant that he didn't talk directly to Mariví, so he couldn't have left any additional information. Then he spotted a small note with a brief summary of the call on top of some more post-its, and he swiftly put it in his pocket. However, he couldn't resist reading the remaining as well. Some were simple to-do lists, others were reminders or facts about the family. Putting the two dots together, he figured that Raquel's mother likely suffered from memory loss. It was his lucky day, he thought. However, one note stuck out immediately to him.

_Paula isn't Alberto's daughter._

Sergio held the piece of paper tightly in his hands and stared at it like a deer in headlights. His throat was dry, and it took him a moment to find his voice. "Paula, when is your birthday?"

"It is October 22nd," the girl revealed excitedly.

"That was just four days ago, happy birthday! How old did you turn?" he asked with his heart beating loudly inside his chest, so loud, he feared that it would jump out.

"Eight."

_Suddenly, he realized who she reminded him of._


	7. La garganta que ansío mojar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank the spectacular @MegShea for once again proof-reading and being an incredibly supportive friend, and @thegirloverseas for offering some helpful advice! And I'm also very grateful for every single person who reads, comments and leaves kudos. You motivate me so much to write this story, it's unbelievable!
> 
> I truly hope that you'll enjoy this chapter, I stayed up late last night to be able to post it today for a good start into the weekend. And don't forget to let me know what you think! <3

_Suddenly, he realized who she reminded him of._

October 22nd, 2009. Sergio squeezed his eyes shut and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he placed his hands on the kitchen counter and calculated. On the night of January 24th, he met Raquel and had sex with her at _Hanoi_. Both were quite drunk, and frankly, he didn't remember using protection or even asking if she had any. And that encounter was almost nine months to the day before Paula's birth. Besides, it wasn't the only proof he had.

Dates and calculations couldn't confirm his suspicion entirely, but he wasn't blind or naive. Sergio was racking his brain over who the little girl resembled besides her mother. Paula’s dark, thick hair and her charming grin was someone else's. As he gazed at her, he suddenly realized he was looking at his own reflection. It couldn't be a coincidence. 

His world shattered. Why didn't Raquel tell him? He left her his number that night nine years ago, but she never contacted him. It had been almost four days since he saw her at the bar again and offered her his phone. Three days since she opened up to him. Two days since he asked her on a date. One day since they slept together, and all this time, she didn't tell him that she had his child? Well, _their_ child.

To be fair, he had his secrets as well, and his would most likely cause more damage. Raquel didn't know that the Professor — the manipulative criminal mastermind with the voice regulator she tried so desperately to catch, was the same man she unknowingly let enter her life. He couldn't even fathom how she would react if she found out. And if she didn't, could he keep the secret to himself forever? Could he lie to her about his true identity until the end of their days out of fear of losing her again?

"Sergio, are you alright?" Paula asked, interrupting his train of thought, and it was then that he noticed that the girl was staring at him with a concerned expression. He must have looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Yes, I'm fine," he answered after he cleared his throat and put the scrunched post-it note into the pocket of his pants. Although it was a lie, he assumed that Paula didn't know who he was to her yet, and it wasn't his place to reveal it. 

"Did you reach mamá?" 

Confused by her question, he froze and tried to recall what she was referring to until he suddenly remembered. "Uhm... I didn't. She must be busy," he muttered and felt the need to change the topic at the mention of Raquel, "Let me help you with the homework now, huh?"

Another one of Paula’s infectious smiles he had hoped for appeared on her face. As he took a deep breath to calm his thoughts, he filled the distance between them and sat down on a chair next to her. Paula excitedly started to explain the math problem, and he listened to her attentively and explained patiently afterward. Although he was still shaken by the life-altering news, teaching came easy to him. He wondered if it was because of the experience he gained during his months in Toledo or if there was another reason.

"Hola, Sergio! What brings you here?" a cheerful voice behind them suddenly asked, and when he turned around, he noticed Mariví coming through the back door.

"I was hoping to see Raquel, but she's not here, and Paula asked me to help her again. I hope it's not a problem," he explained and nervously pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Of course not, you're always welcome here! Would you fancy a cup of coffee?" the woman offered, taking a cup out of a drawer without waiting for a reply.

"I don't want to impose."

She didn't seem to take no for an answer. "Nonsense! With milk or sugar?"

"She likes you. I do, too," Paula added in a whisper, and without noticing, Sergio smiled instantly, almost as if it was the most natural thing for him to hear. It felt oddly satisfying to have someone care about him and him caring for someone in return as well. However, was this what he wanted? He never had any experience with this type of situation before, he was the kind of person who planned and prepared for every possible outcome. It never even crossed his mind that he would suddenly discover the only woman he ever admired kept their child away from him. How was one supposed to act or respond to this information? 

Sergio never considered spending his life any other way until that moment — alone with his books and perfecting his plan. The heist would be over soon and then what would become of him? Now that he experienced what it was like to be close with someone, to share... to _love,_ he wasn't sure whether he could return to the loneliness. It hadn't bothered him before, but now that he tasted this rich new life, the idea of being alone on an isolated island became unbearable. He didn’t recognize himself anymore, but it didn't matter because he was incredibly content. Sergio’s heart warmed at the mere thought of spending the rest of his life in paradise with Raquel, her mother, and _their_ daughter.

Of course, it hurt that she kept a secret from him for such a long time. He should be angry, devastated, furious - and frankly, he wanted to feel all those things. But the moment he remembered Paula's joyous grin and her glistening eyes every time he agreed to help her with her homework, he couldn't bring himself to feel bitter. And then he remembered how Raquel cuddled with him the night before, her entire body pressed against him until there was no space left between them, he couldn’t feel anger. As he looked around the house and spotted all the pictures of the Murillo women, he couldn't bring himself to feel any resentment. Actually, he wanted to be a part of their world.

Suddenly, something clicked in his head. Sergio couldn't destroy the only chance he had in order to gain this new life, as crazy as it may have seemed. So he made a new plan. He wouldn't confront Raquel, instead, he wanted to give her an opportunity to come clean, to make her admit it herself. Once they talked, he would offer her a chance to move to a tropical island. Maybe she'd refuse, but he didn't want to think of that. He had to at least try, if not he wouldn't be able to face himself in the mirror ever again.

"Three teaspoons of sugar, please."

* * *

"Sergio? What are you doing here?" Raquel asked as she entered the house, more than surprised to see him in the hallway with a lovely bouquet in his hands.

"I heard what happened and I wanted to make sure you were all right. The only thing is, I left your garden in a really bad state," he answered and handed her the violet flowers awkwardly. Her heart melted, and unable to find the right words, she hugged him tightly. Despite the heaviness in the pit of her stomach, it also fluttered at the feeling of her body against his. She sunk into the warmth of his side, grateful for the simple gesture. For just a moment, she allowed herself to forget about how much she blamed herself for what had happened to Ángel. If she hadn't yelled at him for being suspicious about Sergio, if she answered his calls, if she did a better job at catching those criminals, maybe he wouldn't be in a coma. 

"Isn't he adorable?" her mother suddenly appeared behind them, interrupting them and observing the scene before her with a pleased smirk.

"Mamá," Raquel lamented, slightly annoyed at her intrusiveness, although she was grateful that she seemed to accept her... current partner. However, Sergio chuckled and appeared to be amused by the comment. She was delighted that he started to feel comfortable in the presence of her family, and she gently stroked his cheeks to show him her appreciation. 

"Alright, you two lovebirds, dinner is ready," Mariví added before she disappeared in the kitchen, and they followed her behind hand in hand. The smell of freshly prepared Gazpacho filled the air, and Raquel's stomach immediately started to growl - she barely ate anything earlier that day, having completely lost her appetite at the hospital. As she entered the room, Paula got up from her chair and rushed to her in an instant, wrapping her arms around her middle.

"Hello cariño, how was school?" she greeted her and delicately ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"It was good, but we had a lot of math homework. Sergio helped me again!" the girl exclaimed as she let go of the embrace, and from the corner of her eyes, Raquel could see a shy grin plastered on his face. 

"He did? That's very nice of him," she pointed out and modestly winked at him, to which he responded with a broader smile. 

The rest of the evening they spent at the dining table, enjoying Mariví's delicious soup and chocolate pudding, as requested by the youngest Murillo. At first, silence hung thick in the air but was soon drowned by casual chats, and eventually engaging conversations and laughter erupted. All of it felt surprisingly natural, Raquel viewed the gathering as if it were a family tradition. _Family._ This word echoed in her head, finding herself approving of the scene in the room. Was it wrong of her to entertain that thought?

After two hours she finally looked at the clock and once she realized what time it was, Raquel ordered Paula to brush her teeth, and she quickly kissed Sergio goodnight when her mother wasn't looking. The exhaustion of the past few days began to overwhelm her, so she excused herself and retreated to her bedroom with the sole purpose to rest. Undressing herself with the exception of her tank top and underwear, she sat down on the side of her bed and checked her messages. However, once she put down the phone, there was a soft knock on her door.

"Yes?" Raquel asked, expecting either her mother or daughter. But as it slowly opened, she saw Sergio on the other side instead, hesitantly peeking into the room.

"Are you all right?" he inquired, a hint of concern in his husky voice. 

"Yes, just a little tired and dazed. Come in," she requested, and he finally stepped inside. "They had to inject me with a sedative, and I'm not used to it."

Sergio nodded with acknowledgment, stopping a few feet away from her with his hands in the pocket of his pants, glancing at her with a piercing look. "I see. I'm not very clearheaded today, either."

After a few idle seconds, Raquel stood up, losing all control of her feet, they walked closer to him on their own accord, only stopping when she could hear the loud beat coming from his chest. "I thought you left," she admitted after a while, still bewildered by his presence. 

"I didn't want to leave you alone. But if you want me to, I'll go." It almost came out as a whisper, and his warm breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine. 

"Sergio, would you mind staying here with me tonight?" she blurted out, unaware of the impact the question could have had on their relationship, but the sparkle in his deep brown eyes gave her an answer without the use of words.

"Of course not."

As she laid down on the soft sheets, Raquel began to observe and savor him as he shed his blazer and tie, soon enough he was next to her on the mattress, carefully adjusting the pillow and keeping a safe distance from her.

"What are you doing?" Raquel questioned, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Sergio frowned, most likely wondering if she suddenly changed her mind. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"If you don't want to make me uncomfortable, then get rid of your shirt and come closer," she replied as a grin spread across her face, it was then she could see his muscles relax immediately. As he fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, she grew impatient and reached over to him to help speed up the process. But it turned out to be the other way around, as she sat down on his lap and began to reveal more and more of his bare chest, they became lost in each other. Her entire life had always been fast-paced, but as her fingers slowly caressed his exposed skin, the concept of time didn't exist. There was no heist, no secrets, no pain, and no fear. It was just them, merged as one, and everything else around them faded away. But once Raquel completely removed the white material from his torso, she noticed something in his eyes shifting. "Is anything troubling you?" 

"No. I'm worried it's been the best four days of my life," Sergio confessed, making it sound as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

"Sergio, you've already won me over, there's no need to exaggerate," she chuckled and placed a tender kiss on his cheek, enjoying the sensation of her lips against his beard.

"It's true. But I haven't planned it. I hadn't anticipated it," he continued with a serious tone and gently tugged her by her chin so he could look into her eyes again.

"Oh, you hadn't anticipated it? Do you anticipate everything?" she asked playfully, but his expression didn't change in the slightest, and she realized that what he would say next held a heavy meaning.

"Well, let's say I'm a man who picks out the clothes he's going to wear the day before. A man who became obsessed with making the best cider in the world," he began, and she noticed a small tear trying to escape from beneath his eyelids. "And I studied it all, acidity, fermentation... every possible reaction of each ingredient. Year after year, after year. And you can get one bad apple that ruins the whole barrel."

"Sergio, you're really into cider, aren't you?" At last, Raquel got a smirk from him, and his hands were roaming her back, his thumbs drawing small circles.

"It was my dad's dream. And he died before he could fulfill it. He wanted to make twenty-four hundred barrels." The hurt plastered all over his face as he spoke about his deceased father made her wish she could somehow absorb part of it, to lighten the weight of the bad memories he carried on his shoulders. Knowing it was impossible, she rested her forehead against his instead, as a sign of empathetic devotion.

"I understand the homage, but why don't you produce half of it? Or half of half, and then focus on your own dreams?" 

Sergio suddenly pulled away and cupped her cheeks, searching her eyes just like he did the night before while they were making love. There was something about that gaze of his she'd never find in another man as if at that moment their souls connected. "Let's go away," he uttered, "I wrap up this cider thing in a few days, and we'll go to the Caribbean."

Raquel's brain stuttered for a moment and every part of her paused, waiting until her thoughts caught up. Still processing what he just proposed, her head began to spin, and she laid down next to him with a sigh. "Well, I don't have the cider, but I have a mother, a daughter, and a heist to solve.

"Well, we take your mother and Paula with us. Can you imagine raising her on a sunny beach?" His hand found hers and squeezed it tightly as he placed them where his heart was pounding against his chest. "Raquel I don't want this to wear off. I don't want to ignore this desire to feel alive that I've never felt so strongly."

It felt too surreal to be true, she thought, but as she pressed her frame even closer to his and felt his presence with every fiber of her body, she knew it wasn't a dream. "You would cross the ocean with a mother, a daughter, and a grandmother?" 

He played with a strand of her golden hair, inhaling the words he would say next. "Right now, I would."

"Damn. It's so crazy that I can't imagine myself doing anything else," she replied after taking a moment to collect her thoughts, feeling a radiant smile spreading across her face. Raquel always put the happiness of others before her own, but when being presented with the image of spending the rest of her life on a sunny beach with her loved ones, she decided to allow herself to be selfish for once. Maybe she would finally have the family she imagined in her wildest dreams.

"Finish with the heist. Do what you have to do. And then we will go," Sergio concluded, his plan seemingly so easy with the excitement radiating from him. 

"Okay," she agreed with a nod.

"Okay."

Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to the side of her face. It settled there and pulled her closer. She inhaled sharply, the exhaustion she felt mere minutes ago replaced with pure desire. She was against his warm chest, chiseled to perfection. His breathing quickened as did hers. He began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses, so faint, they were whispers. She urged herself to push away, but couldn’t. His head was angled slightly to the side as his lips came closer and closer to hers. She was surprised to find her own lips parted, and their breaths mingled as his lips brushed hers. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding.

However, the sound of her phone ringing interrupted them. Usually, she would have ignored it, but considering the importance of her job and the events of the previous day, she couldn't. When they broke apart for air, she rested her forehead against his and gathered some much-needed oxygen. His smirk told her everything and she smiled back, wishing she surrendered to him. Regretfully, Raquel pulled away and reached for her phone on her nightstand to answer the call. It was Suárez, and judging by his tone, he had something important to announce.

"Raquel, I'm sorry for calling you at this late hour, but we found the name of another one of the robbers in the Royal Mint. Ándres de Fonollosa, who has an arrest warrant for twenty-seven robberies including jewelry, auction houses, and security vans."

The rest of what he had said she couldn't grasp, her mind too preoccupied trying to figure out where she had heard that name before.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Que temo ahogar de amor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I have to thank the spectacular @MegShea for once again proof-reading and being an incredibly supportive friend! I don't know what I would do without you :) And I'm also very grateful for every single person who reads, comments and leaves kudos. You are all amazing!
> 
> I'm sorry it took me a little bit longer to post this chapter, but I'm going through quite a stressful period right now. However, I created an upload plan I will try to follow, and I will also write a Serquel oneshot soon inspired by the promo picture of our four favorite ladies partying (I lost a bet ;) )! Also since a lot of you have been asking for more if this story, I decided to expand it by an additional chapter! 
> 
> I truly hope that you'll enjoy this chapter, and as always, I would love it if you let me know what you think of it! <3

"Raquel, I'm sorry for calling you at this late hour, but we found the name of another one of the robbers in the Royal Mint. Ándres de Fonollosa, who has an arrest warrant for twenty-seven robberies including jewelry, auction houses, and security vans."

The rest of what he had said she couldn't grasp, her mind too preoccupied trying to figure out where she had heard that name before. Raquel was a hundred percent certain that she knew that man, but not from the news or her colleagues. She had met him before someplace familiar because the moment he was mentioned, Ándres' smoky voice echoed in her ears. He was like an old song she tried to recall the lyrics to. 

"Raquel, are you still there?" Suárez asked when she didn't answer him for a long time, bringing her out of her thoughts. It took her a second to realize that she was still on the phone.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm just tired," Raquel replied with a sigh, although she was wide awake, hoping the discovery didn't require her to be at the station all day again. Luckily, that wasn't the case.

"As I said, I'll send you a picture of him, but you don't have to come here. We'll take care of it, take some time to rest." With a quick goodbye, Suárez hung up, and a few seconds later, she received his message, as promised. Examining the photo, she realized that her suspicions were correct. However, she still couldn't place when and where she had seen him before so she put away her phone frustrated.

Suddenly, a hand appeared on her shoulder and squeezed it tightly, and she let her eyelids fall shut. Nothing was as soothing as his delicate touch, which could send both bolts of electricity through her as well as calm the thunderstorm in her head. "Is everything alright?" Sergio asked in a whisper, and she felt his lips brushing against her exposed neck. If only every evening ended like this, she thought - and then it clicked. Raquel shot her eyes wide open and froze as images of their first evening nine years earlier flashed before her. 

  
  


_"I'm not in a relationship, my brother Andrés kind of forced me to come here. He said I'm spending too much time at home," Sergio explained with a grin while he played with a lime slice and looked at her coyly. Raquel took a sip of her drink, both surprised and pleased to find out that such an attractive man was still single, and_ _seemingly_ _interested in her._

 _"Hermanito, who would have thought? I leave you at the bar for five minutes, and you're already flirting with a woman_ _, who’s_ _a good-_ _looker_ _even. I should've brought you here earlier," an unfamiliar voice emerged behind her, and she turned around to find its source. It belonged to a neatly dressed man, slightly older than her, with a smug smile and a glass of red wine. Although she'd been in his presence for mere seconds, she could already determine what type of person he was - intimidating, sophisticated, and with an enormous ego -_ _contrary to his brother._

 _"I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself yet. Ándres de Fonollosa, it's a pleasure." He observed her with_ _a marveled expression_ _and extended his arm to take hers, placing a kiss on_ _the top of her hand_ _._

_"Raquel," she added shortly, shifting in her seat to hide her discomfort._

_"Would you mind leaving us alone now?" Sergio lamented with annoyance, visibly bothered by their exchange. Presumably, it wasn't the first time he got to see such a scene._

_"Of course not, hermanito. But don't screw it up, you won't find another beauty like her anytime soon. And order her red wine, not a cheap Mojito." Paying Sergio one last look, Ándres disappeared in the crowd again as if he never appeared in the first place. However, Raquel could still sense his lingering eyes and hear his gravelly voice._

_"_ _Please excuse_ _my brother," he apologized, and Raquel couldn't hold back a chuckle._

  
  


There was absolutely no chance they were two different men. Although she wasn't sure whether she could trust her own memory considering the amount of alcohol she had that night, her gut feeling told her that it couldn't have been a coincidence. "Sergio," she eventually spoke with a painfully dry throat, "the police found the name of another robber in the Royal Mint."

Without turning to face him, she knew that something shifted. His fingers stopped caressing her skin, his breathing accelerated, and he pulled his lips away. "They did?"

"Yes. Ándres de Fonollosa," she revealed. "Did you know that your brother is taking part in the heist?"

Finally daring to turn around, she noticed the panic set into his deep brown orbs. His eyes weren’t the same as the time she pointed a loaded gun at him on their first date. Instead, his color of sweet chocolate which once embraced his dilated pupils like a soft blanket, was replaced with the shade of brown found in the soil from a felled forest - cold, bleak, lifeless. "You did, didn't you?"

"Raquel, let me-"

She didn't let him finish, thousands of questions wantingto escape from her mouth. "Did you help him?"

"Raquel-"

"Did he promise you money?" She didn't even wait for an answer, ready to ask him more, but Sergio finally interrupted her by taking her shaking hand between his own.

"Raquel, I need to tell you something. Yes, I know that my brother is inside the Mint, and in a way, I helped him," he paused to take a deep breath, then continued calmly, "I’m the Professor."

Suddenly, her head was spinning. Did she hear him correctly, or did the exhaustion of the past few days begin to make her hallucinate? Undecided, she searched his face, hoping to find an answer there, but she didn't. "What? Please tell me this is a joke," she chuckled, but his gaze remained serious.

"Right now, I wish it was, but it's the truth. I'm sorry."

Raquel's world shattered. She didn't want to believe him, but she knew with absolute and revolting certainty that it was true. Snatching her hand away from his grip, she realized that she didn't know the man she brought into her bed, her house, _her life_. The man who offered her everything she ever wanted only to reveal himself as her enemy. The man who had won her heart under false pretenses, and then crushed it into tiny pieces. "Who the fuck are you?"

"Sergio Marquina," he replied quietly, and she exhaled with shock. 

"Sergio Marquina? Sergio Martín? The Professor? The person who has kept the police, the CNI, and the Special Forces in check? The man I've been talking with on the phone for four days, who I told what clothes I wear and even what color my orgasms are? And which one are you?" she demanded icily, keeping her voice low not to alarm her sleeping daughter and mother. However, the wrath began to burn her on the inside, threatening to escape, and she forced herself to remain objective to avoid a massacre. "Why aren't your fingerprints in the national ID database?" 

"I stopped renewing my ID before they went digital," he admitted, nervously adjusting his glasses with a trembling finger.

"When?"

"More than twenty years ago." Raquel barely contained a snort, both amazed and appalled by all the things he must have done to hide his identity. _That genius son of a bitch._

"That opens up a world of possibilities, doesn't it? Because no one is going to report the disappearance of a man who doesn't exist. It would make it easy for me to get rid of you," she avowed bitterly and stood up to put some distance between them, pacing the room in an attempt to process everything he admitted. Although Raquel refused to look at him, she could feel his eyes seer into her, and for the first time, it felt inappropriate and wrong. 

"Is that what you want? To get rid of me?" As Sergio reiterated her words, she became aware of their meaning and stopped a few feet away from him - just enough so she could see all the color drain from his face. 

"Yes. I sure do. Look, perhaps as an inspector, I shouldn't tell this to the person who organized the heist at the Royal Mint. But as a woman who has spent years being afraid of everything, who trusted someone who knew how fragile and vulnerable she was, who's been fooling her from the fucking beginning, then it wouldn't be that far-fetched, don't you think? You could have approached me, coaxed me, planted a bug on me," she spat out, all of her anger boiling up to a dangerous level, and she threw his shirt at him that laid on the floor. "A fucking bug, goddamn it! But no, you couldn't. Five minutes ago we were dreaming together. Shit, we were talking about our future! Who the hell are you? What are you, some disturbed fuck?"

Sergio must have noticed that there was something else in her declaration, a pain behind it because instead of reacting to her rage, he aimlessly started to get dressed, and with that she became startled and surprised. He was the most wanted criminal in the country, yet she knew that he would never use violence, unlike her ex-husband. The pain she felt at that moment wasn't the same as a cut or bruise, and although it was invisible, it hurt a lot more. How did the betrayal of a man she had known for less than a week have a bigger emotional impact on her than one and a half years of a toxic relationship?

"It was all planned, Raquel. Everything. It was all planned out except what happened between us. I don't know, I broke my own rules," he muttered after a while of charged silence as he buttoned up his shirt. "I didn't consider that variable."

"What the hell are you saying? What variable?" she asked, barely hearing her own voice as she spoke.

"Falling in love with you."

Those words were the last straw that broke the camel's back. Raquel couldn't hold back the tears which were burning beneath her eyelids, and she finally let them burst forth like water from a dam, pouring down her face. It wasn't true. It _couldn't be_ true. "Do you really think I'll let you go on with this crap? Son of a bitch. That I'll sit back while you lie to my fucking face as if I were a 15-year-old girl?"

"I'm not lying, Raquel. I fell in love with you," Sergio repeated as he stood up from the bed and walked towards her, yet she didn't draw back, although she continued to refuse to believe his words. Once he was close enough for her to hear his heartbeat loudly pounding inside his chest, he realized he was craving to touch her, but decided against it and dropped his gaze on the floor. He began to speak but in a stern tone, "And you have your secrets as well."

"Excuse me?"

"When were you going to tell me that Paula is my daughter?" There it was, the question she had feared ever since she laid her eyes upon him four days earlier. For years she had been living with a secret, a _lie_ , and when she was finally presented with the opportunity to come clean, she didn't take it. She planned to tell him after the mess at work was over, only after she would be certain that he wouldn't leave again. But of course, he found out himself first.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," was all she could utter, unable to grasp the fact that he chose this exact moment to confront her.

"Or did you want to hide the truth from me forever? Tell me, because if we're being honest, you have to reveal some things as well."

She shook her head as she wiped her wet cheeks. "I didn't — how did you even find out?"

"I'm not that naive, Raquel. There was a note in your kitchen saying that Paula isn't Alberto's daughter. I asked her about her birthday, and it's nine months after our encounter at _Hanoi_. When I look at her, all I can see is my own reflection, goddammit!" Sergio exclaimed, his voice gradually getting louder, and she half expected him to start yelling. However, he stopped abruptly and turned his back to her to look out of the window, a hand on his mouth to hold back a sob. Her first instinct was to comfort him, to embrace him and apologize for not telling him earlier. But how could she after the pain and torture he caused her with his own secrets? Instead, she just quietly observed as he tried to quell his anguish. "You had nine years to tell me," he added after a while, his voice nearly cracking.

"Oh, I had nine years to tell you? You're right. I should've just reached out to you four weeks later without knowing your full name or having your phone number!" she replied sarcastically, taken aback by his accusation and she crossed her arms over her chest. 

Suddenly, he turned around and faced her with a confused expression. "What? I left you my number in the pocket of your jacket. I had spent hours staring at my phone, hoping you'd call me."

"I spilled a drink on it that night and put it in the washing machine the next day without checking," Raquel admitted somewhat remorsefully, realizing what a mistake she made and how different their lives would have been if she had found his note. But she didn't, and they couldn't turn back time. Perhaps everything was meant to happen this way. "It doesn't change anything."

Even through the dark rims on his nose, she could tell in his eyes that her words stung him. "What do you mean it doesn't change anything? Do you know what I was thinking when I found out Paula is my daughter? I was shocked at first, but then I was happy. I was fucking _happy_ , Raquel. Why do you think I asked you to move away with me?"

"I'm not moving anywhere with _my_ daughter to live with a lying asshole who manipulated me for four days without turning a hair!" she screamed at him, finally letting all her feelings loose, unbothered whether her family could hear her.

"Do you think that all of this was a lie?" Sergio asked, remaining calm and composed, or at least seeming like it.

"How could I think it’s not a lie? Even that stupid apple cider story you told me in bed _minutes_ ago was fake, wasn't it?" 

"It wasn't," he corrected her and ran his hand through his dark hair with despair. "I mean, to some extent it was, I'm not actually an apple cider brewer. But it was the story of the heist."

Raquel almost laughed out loud at her stupidity. He left her clues, and she was listening to him like an idiot. All this time, the Professor she hopelessly tried to catch was right in front of her nose, mocking her and using her vulnerability. How could she have been so blind? "In that case, I'm sorry for destroying your dreams, because I have to arrest you," she declared without waiting for his reaction and turned away to search through her drawers, trying to find the spare gun she hid underneath her clothes after her divorce. 

"You know, you were the only actual crack in an otherwise perfect plan. A plan no longer perfect. You know why? Because even if this all goes well, I'll be fucked. Because I won't ever see you again," Raquel heard him say as she frantically rummaged through her underwear drawer to distract herself from crying again until she felt the cold metal. "Do you think it was my plan to fall in love with the inspector of the case?"

"I don't want to hear more," she hissed.

However, he didn't stop. "Why don't you want to hear it, Raquel? Because I'm a bad guy? You've been taught to see good and bad guys. But what we're doing is acceptable to you when other people do it. In the year 2011, the European Central Bank made 171 billion euros out of nowhere. Just like we're doing it, only bigger."

Even once she loaded the gun, he continued. "Do you know where all that money went? To the banks. Directly from the factory to the pockets of the rich. Did anyone call the European Central Bank a thief? No. They called it 'Liquidity Injections', and they pulled it out of nowhere, Raquel. Out of nowhere."

And when she finally pointed the gun at him, her hands trembling with fear, anger, and doubt, Sergio reached in the pocket of his pants without hesitating and took out a scrunched five euro bill, which he tore in half. "This is nothing, Raquel. It's just paper. I'm making a liquidity injection, but not for the banks. I'm doing it here, in the real economy. With this group of losers, which is what we are, Raquel. To get away from it all. And just a moment ago, you wanted to get away as well."

Suddenly, every emotion and every thought evaporated from her body. She lowered her gun slowly, keeping steady eye contact with the man before her and searched his face with curiosity. He wasn't just a criminal. He was a son who aspired to avenge his father, a mentor who wanted to provide a careless life for his brother and a group of underprivileged, a shoulder to lean on who helped her overcome her past, and a father who loved his daughter without knowing she was his. He had made a lot of mistakes, but his only motivation was to help others. He wasn't a good or a bad guy, and neither was she.

However, there remained one question Raquel needed the answer for. "Did you cause Ángel's accident?"

"No, I would never do such a thing," he replied honestly with no hint of hesitation, and she sighed with relief.

"Leave."

His eyes widened with wonder. "What?"

"Leave my house right now, or I will arrest you. This is your only chance to escape," she stated earnestly and closed the distance between them, letting the walls she had built around her heart fall once again. 

"Raquel, I'm not sure if I can," he whispered and shook his head, but she placed her hand on his cheek and forced him to look into her eyes. That way she could tell him everything without using words which she couldn't find.

"Sergio, please go."

Taking a deep breath and softly squeezing her hand as a sign of gratitude and devotion, he left her room. And only once he closed the door behind him, she allowed her emotions to take control. She cried, screamed into her pillow, kicked her furniture, but she didn't regret her decision. Raquel let him escape because although she didn't want to admit it, she fell in love with him as well. And love was a good reason to break the rules.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the fandom needs some fluff after the s4 trailer, but I promise to make it up for you soon! ;)


	9. Y cuáles deseos me vas a dar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody! At last, here is the promised update :) I'm so grateful for your support and lovely comments, I truly appreciate them! Also, I hope that you and your loved ones are safe during this difficult time, stay safe <3 
> 
> As always, HUGE THANKS to my dear friend MegShea, you're the best proof-reader ever! I appreciate that you take your time to correct the chapters and give me feedback. You can consider yourself a co-creator of this fanfic ;)
> 
> There are two more chapters to go, and since I'm stuck at home for the next three weeks, I will make the best out of the quarantine and update as quickly as possible! I also already have plans for some new Serquel fanfics. And don't forget to let me know what you think of this chapter! Enjoy ~

**Ten months after the heist, Palawan**

The salty water crashed softly against the shore, creating a calming melody, almost like a lullaby. Every evening, he could do nothing but sit cross-legged on the sand and stare at the horizon in front of him. Waves of deep royal blue crept towards him before being swept away, the peaceful pattern repeating itself, causing droplets of the ocean to spray on his bare, sand-encrusted feet. But beyond those magical waves was something even more amazing and breathtaking — the sunset. Beautiful smudges of coral, lavender, turquoise, and a glowing orange blended together to create an astonishing sight. However, he couldn't find the joy of the view or appreciate the playful tides, things he'd been dreaming of ever since he was a child. 

Each day since he had arrived in Palawan, Sergio observed the sun dipping below the horizon, his thoughts always drifting to her like a boat to an abyss. Instead of the waves, he pictured her golden hair dancing in the wind like liquid sunshine, careless and free. The sand underneath his feet reminded him of her honeyed skin, delicate and silky. And the burning sun was almost as radiant as her smile, which was a work of art on its own. 

He was in paradise, but if he could return to her arms, kiss her lips, and listen to her laughter at least once more, he wouldn't hesitate to leave it all behind. But he missed the only chance he had — let it slip through his fingers, which felt like a rope burning his palms. Maybe it was for the best that he had let go before it was too late, avoiding even more pain and suffering. What if she never found out who he really was and had decided to follow him and live on the beach? The guilt would have eventually consumed him, he would have had to confess at some point anyway. 

_Guilt._ If Sergio could use just one word to describe how he felt, it would be this, feeling it each time he got up in the morning to meditate on the porch of his bungalow, when he went to the local market around noon to buy fresh fruit, when he laid down in the hammock beneath the palm trees to read a book in the afternoon. He felt responsible for Moscow's and Oslo's death, for allowing his brother to stay behind in the Royal Mint, for falling in love with the inspector in charge of the negotiations, and for living a careless life nonetheless, which he didn’t earn or deserve.

 _Sergio, please go._ Those were the last words he heard her say, and they were replaying in his mind ever since he left her house that day. Her words made him feel like he was reopening a partially healed wound again - it stung, it burned, and it was painful, but he couldn't stop opening the wound because he believed he deserved it. He deserved the pain and she deserved a better life, she didn't need a manipulating criminal as her partner or even as a father to their daughter. 

However, he couldn't just leave it at that. His feelings for Raquel and Paula were real, not even for a single moment did he have to convince himself of his love for them. They reminded him that life has more to offer than planning a heist. In fact, he was willing to let it go down the drain if it guaranteed them a lifetime of happiness. They made him feel free, and since he arrived in Palawan, he felt like an animal trapped in a cage built on lies and regret. The only way to escape it was to get everything off his chest. And suddenly, Sergio knew what he had to do.

He got up and marched towards his house at a fast pace, unbothered by the sand on his clothes. His office was at the end of the hallway, but he was determined to allow his feet to carry him there. The only stop he made was by the record player to put the stylus on the already prepared disk, letting the familiar melody fill the empty and silent space.

_Ain't no sunshine when she's gone_

_It's not warm when she's away_

Finally, Sergio sat down before his mahogany desk, taking a blank piece of paper and a pen from the drawer.

_Ain't no sunshine when she's gone_

_And she's always gone too long_

_Anytime she goes away_

He stared at it for a while, trying to find the right words. But only when he realized that he needed to switch his brain off to find them, he began to write.

_Wonder this time where she's gone_

_Wonder if she's gone to stay_

His hand wrote on its own accord. He was pouring his heart onto the sheet, letting his feelings take control for once. 

_Ain't no sunshine when she's gone_

_And this house just ain't no home_

_Anytime she goes away_

At last, she would know the truth.

* * *

**Eleven months after the heist, Madrid**

The skyscrapers rose above the horizon like a phoenix from the ashes, covering the view of the sun laying to rest. Instead of the usual hues of fiery orange and vibrant pink tinting the sky, Raquel could only see concrete walls and blinding lights, even though she lived in the suburbs. She missed being able to observe the sunset from her bedroom window, which had always been her favorite thing to do as a child. 

But now it was away from her sight, blocked by the tall buildings which had seemed to have appeared overnight and out of nowhere. In a way, she thought they represented her bad choices, or perhaps they were a sign telling her to do something. But what? It had been eleven months, and there was no message or clue he had left her, only the memories which she held onto for dear life, and of course Paula's smile. Sergio was right - her smile was an exact reflection of his charming grin. As she stared at the skyscrapers ahead, she wondered if he was somewhere on the other side, behind those walls, looking at the sunset and thinking of her.

Although she tried many times, she couldn't help but think about the Professor, about Sergio. The day after she discovered his identity, he and his team released the hostages and vanished into thin air, and she let them. She quit the police force immediately after Ángel woke up from his coma as well. Raquel couldn't tolerate working for people who didn't respect her, who didn't believe that her ex-husband abused her — for people whose only goal was to punish, no matter the cost. When she first joined the police academy, she believed in fighting for truth and justice. What she didn't expect was being confronted by a system that took no ownership of their questionable actions and had a complete disregard for any and all consequences. And to think, all it took for her to realize the truth was falling in love with a criminal. She almost laughed at the irony.

Luckily, this meant she finally had more time to be with her mother and daughter. Mariví's illness appeared to develop slower since Raquel was able to dedicate more time to her, and Paula was thrilled that her mamá wasn't at work all day. She also found the courage to tell Alberto the truth about “their” — well, _her_ daughter, and he handled it surprisingly well. Maybe he had suspected it already, but frankly, she didn't care. He moved to Barcelona right after, and her family was safe.

Suddenly, a knock on the door brought her back to reality. 

Her mother was at the doctor's, so she casually went downstairs to open it. She wasn't expecting anyone else, especially at this hour. She cracked the door to peek outside and noticed a young man wearing a black hoodie standing on her front porch, extending his hand in which held out an envelope, indicating her to take it. "I have a letter for Raquel Murillo."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him suspiciously. The mail usually arrived in the morning, and he didn't seem to be a postman either. "From who?" she asked, taking the letter and searching for a name or address, but with no success.

The man just shrugged. "I don't know. I was just told to deliver it personally." 

Staring at him skeptically for another moment, she considered throwing the letter away or handing it back. It was all a little too odd, but for some reason, her gut feeling told her not to. Besides, she was dying of curiosity.

"Thank you." Giving him a shy smile and closing the door behind her, Raquel quickly returned to her room and sat down on the bed, impatiently ripping the envelope open. She let its contents fall onto the sheets - a neatly folded piece of paper, four postcards, and an origami bird. She gasped. _He didn't forget about her._

Her hands automatically reached for the sheet, opening it with trembling fingers, and she began to read.

_Dear Raquel,_

_I know that a letter is not enough after everything I've done, after all the pain I caused with my lies. You deserve more than that, and I understand if you're still angry, but I'm not asking for your forgiveness. All I'm asking you to do is to read it first, even if you want to throw it away, tear it into hundreds of little pieces, or burn it. I want you to know the truth about who I am and what I've done._

_I was born in San Sebastián, but I spent most of my childhood in various hospitals all across Spain. My mother died when I was just six years old, and my father could barely make ends meet, and therefore, was unable to afford the treatments in America. However, when he wasn't working, he spent every moment by my side, reading books with me, or teaching me how to fold origami. But what I enjoyed most was when he told me plots of the robbery movies he had seen. My favorite was about a factory that made money, and that with a perfect plan, you could go in there and make all the money you want, without robbing anyone. However, they weren't movies, but the stories of his heists. And the day he told me this, he was shot at the doors of the Hispanicamerican Bank._

_The same day, I also discovered I had a half brother, Ándres. He was almost the polar opposite of me, outgoing and charismatic. But we had one thing in common - the desire to fight against the system. So we spent years creating an impeccable plan to make our wildest dream come true. And when the day of the heist finally came, I realized that the plan was far from being perfect. It had a flaw, and it was you, Raquel. Because I hadn’t considered falling in love with you, and that you would reveal to have gifted me the most wonderful thing I could have imagined - our daughter._

As Raquel turned the page, she covered her mouth to hold back a sob. 

_The moment I saw you at Hanoi, all of my work seemed to lose its importance. I expected to see you there, hoping you wouldn't remember the one night we shared years before. But when you said my name, the thought of not seeing you again made me sick. So I did it over and over again, although I knew that at the same time I was talking to you as the Professor - the bastard who organized the robbery at the Royal Mint, the man you wanted to catch._

_But whenever I was around you, it was me who was speaking, Sergio. And I just let it happen, although I didn't know how to do this or how to talk about it. All I knew is that I needed you in my life, and I still do. You see, I'm quite old and you are my first love. Maybe that's why it took me ten months and a letter to tell you this. I'm not making you believe anything, Raquel, it's what I feel. I did not expect it, but it has happened to me, and I know it has happened to you. And although you told me to go, there's nothing I regret more than doing just that._

_My brother once told me that you can't time love, you have to live it. And thanks to you, I finally understand his words._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Sergio_

Only once Raquel finished reading, she noticed that she was crying. Her tears left some stains on the letter, slightly smudging the ink. But she pressed it to her heart which was beating loudly against her chest, hoping he would somehow feel it. Hoping he would somehow know that she felt the same.

"Mamá," Paula's small voice suddenly appeared behind her, making her almost jump up. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing," Raquel quickly replied and wiped her wet cheeks, wanting to make the paper disappear underneath her pillow. But when she looked at it again, she decided that there was no point in hiding it. "It's a letter."

Finally turning around, she noticed her daughter looking at her with concern. "What is it about?"

"Come here," Raquel invited her, patting the spot next to her on the bed and shifting slightly to the side to make room for Paula. Once the girl sat down and stared at her with anticipation, she realized that there was no turning back. She had to tell her. "There's something important I have to tell you, something that I should've told you a long time ago, and I don't know how to start." 

"You can tell me," Paula assured her, and Raquel truly appreciated how calm she appeared. 

"Do you remember Sergio?" she started, and her daughter nodded with a smile. She had to take a deep breath before continuing, "He is your real father."

Paula's grin immediately disappeared, and Raquel expected the worst. But it wasn't replaced by anger or resentment - she was contemplating something else. "Is this why he suddenly disappeared?"

Raquel's heart almost broke. "No, cariño, he had to move away because of his business. But I know that he loves you very much, and it changes nothing," she replied without hesitation, believing every word she said.

"I like him very much too," her daughter confessed, and she couldn't help but take her into her arms and kiss her forehead.

"I know. So do I."

They embraced each other for a few minutes, Paula's face buried in her chest. However, Raquel could sense that there was another question waiting for her. "Then why did you say that papá is my real dad?"

She took a moment to find a suitable answer for an eight-year-old girl. "It's complicated. Well, I met Sergio for the first time nine years ago, and I hadn’t seen him for a long time until last week. I was dating papá when I found out I was pregnant with you. I thought it would've been easier to live with a lie, but I regret it now."

"Do you know where he is now?" Paula asked with a flash of hope in her eyes, and unable to say it out loud, Raquel shook her head. However, her daughter suddenly pulled away and took one of the postcards that laid on the bed. "Maybe he's on one of these beaches?"

"They look pretty, don't they?" Raquel asked as she examined them. Suriname, Denpasar, Palawan- how were they supposed to know which one he was on? Or even if he was on any of them? She remembered the Professor saying that he hated the sea, fish, and sand, but what if-

"Mamá, look!" The girl suddenly exclaimed, showing her the backside of one the postcards. In one of the corners, there was a black line and a number. When they turned around the others as well, Raquel discovered that all of them had a similar marking. But only once she connected the lines, she understood what they were. _They were coordinates._

"I think I know how to find Sergio."


	10. Dices tu, mi tesoro basta con mirarlo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter before the epilogue! I'm already a little sentimental, haha. I hope that you and your loved ones are safe and that you will enjoy this chapter :) It's a little longer than usual!
> 
> As always, I have to thank MegShea for proofreading and being an amazing friend, thegirloverseas for giving me advice, and of course, every single person who leaves Kudos and comments! You are the best! I'm sending much love to all of you <3
> 
> SEVEN DAYS LEFT UNTIL SEASON 4!

**Twelve months after the heist, Palawan**

It took her twenty-four days to arrange a fake passport, six days to make sure she wouldn't be traced by the police, three days to pack and find someone to look after her mother and daughter, and forty-eight long hours on two different planes, all to arrive here - a small island somewhere in the Philippines. Determination and hope were what brought her to Palawan, although a tiny voice in the back of her mind kept on telling her that it was a bad idea. Yet there she was, pushing through a crowd while clutching her phone with the coordinates in her hand. 

The rays of the sun painted her skin in warmth, forcing her to squint her eyes as she gazed back at it, and the smell of delicious coconut oil and fried fish filled the air. She now understood why American tourists called this place heaven on earth. However, she wasn't there on vacation, and she didn't allow herself to enjoy the exotic island just yet. Raquel only had one goal, one thing that occupied her mind - _find Sergio_. 

Her former self would have called her insane for traveling across the ocean to seek the most wanted criminal in the world, not out of revenge or the desire to catch him, no, there was a different reason. Honestly, she knew it was ridiculous to expect that he was waiting for her to appear or believe he’d take her into his arms as if no time had passed. However, the words which lulled her to sleep each night ever since she received his letter echoed in her ears: _You can't time love, you have to live it._ And she clung onto this last strand of hope.

Although Raquel was focused on following the coordinates, she couldn't resist stopping by a small Buddhist temple she passed to take a moment to enjoy the sight before her. She stood there, frozen in place, staring at the most captivating scenery she had ever seen - a single boat drifting on the tranquil waves of the clear water, so clear that she could see the white sand beneath it, surrounded by rocky hills rising from it like guardians. _Just like the postcard,_ she thought. _No wonder he chose this place._ But the sound of her phone shutting down pulled her out of her trance, and she sighed with defeat. _Damn it!_

Looking around her, she noticed a bar to her right and quickly marched towards it. "Excuse me, do you have a charger? A charger for the phone, please?" Raquel asked the bartender in broken English and gestured at her device, but he merely shook his head and continued polishing the glasses. She was about to give up and return to her hotel, what else could she do? But then she heard it.

"If it's important, you can use mine."

His voice - the deep baritone reverberating through her bones, the same voice which made an identical offer almost exactly one year earlier. She almost laughed at the coincidence, but instead, she felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes as the widest grin spread across her face. _She found him._

Slowly turning around in his barstool and removing his hat, Sergio locked eyes with her and couldn't hold back a smile himself, not believing what he had just seen. Raquel recognized the same feelings that coursed through her, in his dark eyes - relief, regret, longing, love. She opened her mouth slightly in an attempt to speak, but no sound came out. She just hoped that he could detect every emotion within her.

Ever since he told her who he was, there were hundreds of questions she wanted to ask him, and there were more and more each day. Those past twelve months, she could do nothing but think about what she would say to him if they met again, what she would want to know. But as she stood in front of him and finally had the chance to do so, she was speechless.

Several moments passed as they silently continued to stare at each other, trying to confirm that it wasn't a dream. Raquel hesitated to move, afraid he would vanish once more if she came too close. However, his stool suddenly scraped against the wooden floor, and he stood up, his entire frame coming into sight. Sergio wore a perfectly tailored white suit, matching her light dress - the symbolism made her heart skip a beat. But everything else, every other detail was just as she remembered. 

Taking a few steps in her direction, he stopped mere inches before her, yet the distance between them still felt too wide. His hands seemed to crave her skin as they almost brushed against hers, but he quickly made them disappear in his pockets, afraid he would invade her privacy. Little did he know, she craved his touch with equal desire.

"Raquel," her name rolled off his tongue with such ease, sounding as natural as a breath.

"Sergio," was all that escaped her mouth, still in awe of his presence. His eyes lit up so beautifully behind the dark rims in the Philippine sun that she couldn't form a single coherent thought.

"You found me," he said, and although it was a statement, it sounded more like a question. She wondered if he had been sitting at this bar every day for the past month, waiting for her to appear. But he couldn't have known if she received the letter, or if she wanted to meet him in the first place. Just like her, he could only depend on hope. 

"I got your letter," she added, which earned a chuckle from him.

"Did you come alone?"

"If you're asking about our daughter, she had to stay in Spain, as much as she insisted on joining me." Raquel noticed how something shifted in his eyes as she spoke, a broad smile plastered on his face. _Our daughter._ For years she had been dreaming about saying those words out loud, and it felt so liberating as if someone cut off chains that were wrapped around her throat. "Also, she knows about... you know. I told her."

"How did she react?" Sergio asked, his voice suddenly drew to a whisper. She knew that he awaited her to answer with trepidation. 

"I think you made a good impression on her during those three days."

He sighed with relief, his tension subsided and turned to pure bliss. Fighting the urge to kiss him right then and there had never been so difficult for her, but then he cleared his throat, preparing for the next question. "Would you like to go on a walk on the beach?"

Raquel smirked. "I'd love to."

At last, Sergio took her hand and interlaced it with his as they left the bar together. His touch, although rather subtle, rekindled the strong attraction she felt towards him. It was almost as if he were a magnet that pulled at every fiber of her body, and she instantly forgot how she was ever able to live without this - without _him_.

Soon they walked along the picturesque beach, never letting go of each other. The waves lapped in a steady rhythm at Raquel's feet, warm and laced with sea-foam. The sound created a melody that reminded her of the summer trips to Lisbon with her father, the nostalgia almost overwhelming. In the distance, seagulls flew above the ocean in circles, and a group of children around Paula's age observed them with joy. Her heart swelled at the scene.

"It's a beautiful place," Raquel acknowledged after a while, giving him a side look, and Sergio squeezed her hand harder.

"It is. I used to love documentaries about the ocean when I was young, so I always wanted to live near water," he explained as he pushed his glasses up his nose, this familiar gesture causing butterflies to flutter in her stomach.

"You did?" she asked with a devilish smile, which he luckily didn't notice. But before he had the chance to give her an answer, Raquel pulled him into the water with her. She laid down on the damp sand, the tides soaking her hair and dress, and he landed on top of her with a surprised expression. However, she quickly turned them around, and it was his turn to have his back pressed against the ground. 

"This is not what I meant!" Sergio exclaimed, and both immediately erupted with laughter. But when he tried to get up, she stopped him with her hands firmly on his shoulders and lowered herself so she could whisper in his ear.

"Tell me, have you been waiting at this bar every day for me, or did you just accidentally happen to be there today?"

"It wasn't a coincidence, Raquel. The truth is, I've been sitting on that stool every day for hours since I sent you the letter," he replied while playing with a strand of her hair, and she eventually let him go with a satisfied smirk. 

He finally raised himself from the ground, getting rid of his blazer and cleaning his glasses. As he did so, Raquel couldn't resist staring at his toned chest, which came into focus due to his wet shirt plastered to his skin. Sergio noticed her eyes lingering on him and smiled shyly. "Now we have to get dry. My house is nearby if you want to go there."

She nodded. "Alright."

Helping her get up, they linked their hands together once more and resumed their walk. The sun slowly began to disappear behind the horizon as the sky burned with vibrant colors. It was the first sunset she got to enjoy in a long time, and it meant even more to her that he was enjoying it with her. 

"Now tell me, how's Paula?" he inquired, taking her attention away from the astonishing view. 

Raquel immediately smiled at the mention of their daughter. "She's fine. But she was asking a lot about you this past year."

"And your mother?"

"Good. I mean, not really, but better ever since I have the time to take care of her," Raquel answered, and seeing his confused look, she added, "I left the police."

"Is it because of-"

"Because I realized that I worked for disrespectful pigs with no sense of remorse," she interrupted him, knowing that he meant something else. 

"Raquel," Sergio continued nervously, running his free hand through his damp hair, "I suppose you came to talk about what happened, about us and-"

She stopped abruptly, which forced him to turn around and face her, and she caressed his cheek so he would look into her eyes. "Sergio, do you think that I crossed the ocean to find you only so we could _talk_?"

"But I want you to know everything, even if it means that you would want to leave again," he argued. 

She shook her head and couldn't help but chuckle at his heartwarming concern. "You can tell me everything, but not today. I just got you back, and I don't want to open old wounds yet. Let's enjoy this for now."

Although he remained doubtful for a while, his expression soon softened as he gently nodded, and Raquel took his gesture as an acceptance to her offer. 

After only a few more minutes of walking, they arrived before a wooden bungalow surrounded by a small tropical forest. It wasn't much different from the other residences they passed, but more well-kept and cozy, almost like a humble holiday home.

"This is it," Sergio announced as he let go of her hand to retrieve a key from the pocket of his blazer, and turned it in the lock. Once the door was open, he shifted to the side to let her enter. "After you."

The house welcomed her with an open space and wide hallway, the walls were lined with shelves filled with all kinds of books and origami figures. The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep rich browns, and the color of the walls was green, a shade resembling summer gardens. A bold white baseboard completed the finished space. It was exactly how she imagined his house to look like, with the exception of the many doors which led to multiple bedrooms. Didn't he live alone?

"It's quite big," she acknowledged as she modestly peeked inside them with curiosity. 

"It has three bedrooms," Sergio elaborated, observing her from where he leaned against the door frame. "My initial plan was to live here with my brother, but I suppose you already know what happened."

She did. Even after hearing about all the terrible things Ándres had done, she couldn't help but feel bad for Sergio. His brother was a prick, but she would have never wished him such a tragic death. "I'm sorry about that."

He just smiled faintly, and realizing that it must have been a sensitive subject for him, she decided to change the topic back. "So, what are you doing with your spare bedrooms?"

"They were waiting," he simply revealed.

Raquel frowned. "For what?"

Sergio finally entered the hallway as well, closing the distance between them. He stood right in front of her, and she had to tilt her head up so she could meet his gaze. "For this day."

She was about to ask what he meant again, but then it struck her - _Let's go away. We'll take your mother and Paula with us. Can you imagine raising her on a sunny beach?_

"Are you sure you still want this?"

Sergio's eyes filled with too many emotions. There was desire, disbelief that it was all happening, relief that she wasn't pulling away, and genuine love. "I've never been so sure of anything. The only paradise I've been to were the days we spent together. That night at _Hanoi_ , the time I lent you my phone, dinner with your family, our date-" 

Raquel took a deep breath and came to a decision. Raising herself onto her tiptoes, she gently pressed her lips to his, so incredibly soft and sensual. Her eyes were closed, her hands gripping him tighter, his facial hair a gentle brush against her face, the scent of his cologne mixed with the warmth of his body undoubtedly intoxicating. 

As their kiss lingered, deepened, and their tongues finally touched, they wrapped their arms around each other, and something inside of her just melted. That was the feeling she missed those twelve months. It just felt _right_. However, Raquel abruptly pulled away and gave him a challenging glance. "What did I say about talking?"

"You're right, let's cut the crap," Sergio chuckled and bent down, crashing her lips with his again. There was no hesitancy in his kiss this time, but a mind-blowing intensity instead, and they both groaned from the overwhelming sensation. His hands slid down her back, over her butt and caught her thighs. He picked her up as if she weighed nothing, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him, her arms around his neck. 

Her entire body relaxed as he carried her into his bedroom. She marveled at his strength, how he could hold on to her with one hand as he opened the door, closed it, and maneuvered them to the bed. Sergio sat them down on its edge, and she straddled his lap as they kissed and their breaths mingled. Soon he began to lift her dress, and she helped him out by pulling it over her head. Neither wanted to waste time, both impatient and desperate to feel each other, but also afraid that they would suddenly wake up. It was just too good to be true. 

Raquel observed as his eyes roamed over her exposed breasts, as his warm hands explored her skin, she moaned at the feeling of his palms running over her shoulders, back, and stomach. Finally, when they reached her nipples, he expertly massaged them and applied just the right pressure - he remembered exactly how she liked to be touched. Her head fell back as his mouth closed around one, and her hips began to move against his, just the thin fabric of her panties separating her from him, creating delicious friction, as well as a certain excitement from being nearly naked in front of him while he was still fully clothed. 

"Don’t you want to get rid of your wet clothes?" she asked teasingly, and without giving her an answer, he brought his attention from her breasts and kissed up her neck before lifting her again and laying her down on the bed. She took several breaths, attempting to gather her senses, but realizing she didn't actually want to, ready for whatever he wanted to do to her. 

Sergio loomed over her on his knees and she couldn't resist going for the buttons on his shirt, barely containing the desire to simply rip it apart. With the last one open, she laid back with a smug smile, which he returned. This was one of the parts Raquel had imagined a hundred times - running her hands along his chest and slowly bringing them down his midline as his shirt hung open. She lightly scraped her nails along his waist and he growled, both of them breathing heavily. She settled back and watched as his hands went for his belt buckle, slowly opening it, a strange thrill running through her as the sound of clicking metal echoed through the walls. But before he went any further, he reached for her panties and slid them down her legs, and she tilted her hips up to help him out. 

He then sat back, looking down at her with a stunned expression. “You look magnificent, and I hope you know that.”

Raquel grinned up at him, suddenly recalling that he said the exact same words to her the night at the hangar, and she hooked a finger in the waist of his pants, pulling him near. “You don't look bad yourself,” she breathed. The room was dark, but the silver light of the moon shining through the window highlighted every contour of his face, which gave him a new magical glow.

Sergio laughed softly at the boldness of the comment and kissed her, pushing his hips into hers as if he read her mind. She couldn’t help but cry out at the sensation, and although it was just his erection from behind the fabric, it still rubbed against her clit in the most delicious way possible. She cried out in pleasure, trying to discover more of it, her breasts making contact with his bare chest. It was almost overwhelming, the feeling of his skin on hers, and the mere fact that it was him above her, his scent surrounding and comforting her. She felt like a thirsty traveler who had found an oasis in the desert.

Somewhere, instinct had kicked in naturally and Raquel was relieved that being apart for such a long time hadn't damaged their primal desires. It was like hearing an old beloved song she hadn’t listened to in a while, yet still knew all the words. They still remembered how to do this. She felt relaxed and safe in his presence but also became amped-up beyond belief. It was a strange dichotomy - what started as a small burn ignited to a fire that caused third-degree burns.

Sergio then began to leave a trail of kisses and nipped gently down her body. She knew where he was going, but it was still jarring as his tongue met with her slick and swollen flesh, his groan at finding her so wet and ready for him sent another wave of arousal through her. His strong hands gripped her thighs, spreading them, and her fingers ran through his hair as she writhed on the bed, completely at his mercy. 

“Yes,” she moaned and gasped when he added fingers, nearly losing her mind when he curled them in just the right way inside her. He was skillful and perceptive, and she sighed in disbelief that she survived a year without _this_. It was a revelation, practically a spiritual moment to feel it all again, at last.

Suddenly, Raquel reached down to grab one of his hands. “Sergio."

He looked up to meet her eyes, continuing to deliciously stroke her bundle of nerves with his slick tongue.

“I need you. _Please_."

This time, he didn’t need to be asked twice, didn't tell her to be patient, simply obeyed. He sat up and slipped his shirt off, then kicked off his shoes and socks, and finally, stood up to get his pants and boxers down and out of the way. She stared at his incredibly hard erection as he moved back towards her, her body flushed with excitement.

Sergio hovered over her, his movements slow and leisurely as if he were giving her plenty of time, wanting to see the frantic anticipation and certainty in her eyes before taking her completely. But Raquel had never been more ready in her entire life, so she eagerly took him in her hand and nestled the head of his length in the cleft between her thighs, unable to keep her eyes open when he covered her body with his and pushed inside. 

They both gasped at the intensity of the thrust and moaned desperately as he pulled back so he could launch again. She spread her knees even wider and wrapped her arms around him, urging him to move, and she threw her head back into the pillows as her walls tightened around him, feeling the muscles working above her beneath her fingertips. 

“Tell me what you need,” Sergio suddenly whispered in her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

“Let me." 

And with barely any words, they understood each other. They could read each other as if no time had passed. He rolled them over so she was on top and she started to ride him, while he laid back and guided her hips, moving a hand up to gently press against the small of her back. 

At the intensity of the new angle and the exquisite pressure in exactly the right spot, she began to climb. Emotions started to intertwine with the unbelievable pleasure of him being inside her, pushing and rocking. She arched her back and closed her eyes, lost in the sensation of it all. 

“Raquel, look at me.”

She hesitated at first because she knew that whatever she was feeling was written all over her face. But she didn’t want to hide from him, not anymore, and she had to fight back the tears which formed beneath her eyelids. It took her a moment, but she eventually opened her eyes and stared back into his dark orbs. Something in her chest swelled at the look on his face, raw and open.

“Sergio..." It was all beginning to overwhelm her, the moment too big, it needed to crest. She tilted forward for the ideal angle, suddenly almost too powerful, her parted lips lingering above his until she reached her peak, trembling and moaning loud enough to rattle the windows. For those few seconds, she knew nothing but pleasure, nothing but peace. 

Raquel found herself slowing her hips, about to fall over and her eyes barely open when she felt him desperately squeezing her thighs. “Please don’t stop.”

She grinned and resumed her movements, desire still burning, wanting to please him, wanting to wreck him, thrilled that she had reduced him to begging. And it didn’t take long, just a few more pushes and pulls until he came apart beneath her with a deep groan. 

For a while, the entire world solely consisted of the two of them as she laid on top of him, catching her breath, his hands never stopping to caress her back. With her face buried in the crook of his neck, the only sound surrounding them was the loud beating of their hearts against their chests.

"Sergio?" Raquel asked once she was able to form words again, and he hummed in response.

"I love you, and I want to have a family with you."

His eyes momentarily lit up with utter bliss, and he grabbed her face to crush his lips against hers once more, tears streaming down their cheeks.


	11. Y tuyo será

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a gift for MegShea. Thank you for everything <3

**Three years after the heist, Palawan**

"Good morning, _mi amor_ ," Sergio greeted her quietly, placing a soft kiss on her cheek, and she instinctively smiled when his lips gently brushed against her skin.

Lazily batting her eyelashes, Raquel rubbed the remainders of sleep off her eyes and gazed back into his. He laid in bed next to her, his glasses were gone, and his chest was bare. That was a sight she didn't mind being woken up for. The moments in which they allowed themselves to get lost in each other, just the two of them, vulnerable and authentic, were worth every second. 

However, before she could find the energy to reply, he propped himself up on his elbows above her and tossed the sheets away. Raquel only wore a light nightgown, but his body and the rays of sunshine illuminating the room provided her with enough warmth. 

She wanted him even closer, his mouth against hers, their entire bodies connected, merged into one until it would be impossible to tell them apart. Privacy was something they rarely got to enjoy with an eleven-year-old daughter and a wandering grandmother with memory loss, so whenever an opportunity for uninterrupted alone time was presented, they didn't hesitate to take it. 

But when Raquel was about to close the distance between them, Sergio moved further down until he reached her slightly showing belly, and kissed it right in the middle instead. "And good morning to you, too."

There hadn't been a single day ever since Raquel told him she was pregnant that he didn't also greet their unborn daughter. And each time, his unconditional and pure love towards her and their family swept her off her feet. She had been scared of his reaction at first - they had never talked about having another child, especially considering the fact that Sergio had been very sick when he was young. However, once she had found the courage to reveal the big news by showing him an ultrasound picture, he had cried tears of happiness, and so had she. 

As he continued to leave a trail of kisses down her abdomen, she gently touched his neck and urged him back up, overwhelmed by the simple yet adorable gesture. "Come here," she murmured as she cupped his cheeks and finally pressed her lips to his, their tongues intertwining, and his beard lightly scratching against her skin. His deft movements always caused her to shiver with desire.

But when they suddenly heard little footsteps just outside their bedroom door, they parted regretfully, and Sergio returned to his place next to her.

"Mamá, papá!" Paula exclaimed as she burst into the room, a cheery grin plastered on her face. Before her parents had the chance to react, she jumped on the bed and squeezed herself between them. 

"How did you sleep, _mi corazón_?" Sergio asked as he gently ran his fingers through his daughter's hair. 

"Good! I dreamt that I was playing with Florencia on the beach." 

Although they had intended on finding a name after Raquel gave birth, Paula stubbornly stuck with Florencia once Sergio told them the story of uncle Ándres and his crazy plans, and everyone just went along with it. 

"And what were you doing?" Raquel inquired, her hand resting on her belly at the mention of the baby like a natural instinct.

"Building a beautiful sandcastle!"

As Raquel and Sergio locked eyes, both immediately grinned widely and communicated without having to use words. Their expressions said everything that needed to be told. 

"Sounds like you had a nice dream," Sergio finally concluded and rose himself to get his glasses and put on his shirt. "Paula, how about we go make pancakes and let mamá rest for a little longer?"

The girl jumped off the bed in an instant, excitement and overjoy radiating from her. "With blueberries?"

"Of course," he replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and they erupted into laughter when he picked up Paula, her arms and legs tightly wrapped around his body. 

"I'll be waiting," Raquel stated as she observed them leaving the bedroom. It was rather unusual for him to offer to cook by himself, but she didn't mind having breakfast in bed as well, so she didn't object or question it and waited patiently. 

* * *

The moment the door closed behind them, Sergio quickly brought them to the kitchen and carefully sat his daughter down on the counter. It was then that he noticed her staring at him with a confused expression. "Why do you want to make breakfast? You're not the best cook."

He looked around to check if anyone was near enough to hear them, but even when he was sure that no one was present, he spoke in a whisper. "I know, Paula, I just needed an excuse to ask you a favor."

"What is it, papá?"

"Remember when I told you that I was planning a surprise for mamá?" he asked, and Paula nodded surely. 

"Well, I think that today is the perfect day for it. Will you help me?" 

She gave him a knowing look. "Of course!"

"Alright, then, I will prepare everything, and you go get abuela and Maria and help them make pancakes. Do we have a deal?"

They grinned while they gave each other a high-five as a sign of approvement and Paula ran off into the garden where Mariví and her nurse enjoyed a morning walk, while Sergio began to prepare everything to set his plan into motion.

* * *

More than half an hour had passed, and Raquel slowly grew anxious. What took them so long? Did they burn down the kitchen? No sounds were indicating that, but recalling the time she cooked paella with Sergio on their boat and what a disaster that had been, she wasn't so sure. But the moment she sat up and reached for her dressing gown, Paula entered the room with a plate of definitely _too perfect_ pancakes. There was no way they made them themselves without abuela's help, and she almost laughed at the realization. 

"Here's your breakfast, mamá."

She accepted it with a grin and looked at the door, expecting Sergio to show up as well, but no one appeared. "Thank you, cariño. And where is papá?"

However, the moment the question escaped her lips, a familiar melody answered her instead. While Paula fought back a smile, Raquel skeptically put away the plate and got up, marching curiously towards the living room only to find nothing, just like in the kitchen and the dining room. But the song continued to play, and she automatically began to hum the words quietly. 

_Soy el fuego que arde tu piel_

_Soy el agua que mata tu sed_

_El castillo, la torre yo soy_

_La espada que guarda el caudal_

Then, she peeked outside the window, and she noticed Sergio sitting by a piano in a white suit on the beach right outside their house as his fingers expertly flew over the keys. But only when she stepped out on the porch, she noticed the candles and flowers to her left and right, creating a path that led to him. And as Raquel followed it and finally sat down next to him, she sang the words out loud.

_Tú, el aire que respiro yo_

_Y la luz de la luna en el mar_

_La garganta que ansío mojar_

_Que temo ahogar de amor_

For the next part, Sergio joined her, looking at her the entire time as he quietly sang along. 

_Y cuáles deseos me vas a dar, oh_

_Dices tu, mi tesoro basta con mirarlo_

_Y tuyo será, y tuyo será_

When the last note died out, neither moved or spoke for a few idle seconds, lost in each other's eyes. Their souls connected, they knew their fears, shared their pain, and felt their love. This was something that couldn't be replaced by anything else in the world - this ability to understand one another plainly by being together. And that was why Raquel knew that there was something he wanted to get off his chest. 

" _Cariño_ , what's all this about?" she broke the silence after a while, her gaze remaining focused on Sergio, nervously awaiting his response. 

However, without giving her an answer, Sergio simply raised himself from the seat and stood next to her. Raquel followed his movement, turning just enough to face him, and suddenly, he knelt down before her on one knee and revealed a small velvet box with an elegant emerald ring inside. Her heart hammered loudly against her chest, so loudly that she feared it would jump out, and every thought evaporated from her mind when Sergio cleared his throat, preparing to speak.

"If someone had told me twelve years ago that I would meet the most beautiful woman at a random bar, then meet her again nine years later at the same place, fall in love with her, find out we had a daughter, and all this while conducting a heist, I would have laughed in their face. But now I'm here, building a family with her on a tropical island, and frankly, I've never been happier in my entire life. Raquel, you make me view the world through rose-colored glasses. Everything looks beautiful to me, and I feel as if you turned me into a kind of teddy bear that smiles constantly. I've held on to everything you've taught me, like cooking together in our filthy boat or swimming fully clothed in the ocean. And that Van Morrison guy is really good. He is, I really like him." 

Raquel couldn't help but let out a snicker, which he reciprocated, and it took him a moment to gather himself again.

"You have given me the most wonderful gifts in the universe, and I don't think that any words could describe how grateful I am for our daughters, for our family, for you. Everything is better because you're with me. Because I'm in love. And I, Sergio Marquina, want to spend the rest of my life with you." He paused when his voice was close to breaking, taking a deep breath to regain his composure for the final question. 

"And that's why I'm asking you to marry me, Raquel Murillo."

She searched her mind for something reasonable to say, but she couldn't will her lips to move. Instead, she nodded with her hand covering her mouth and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Is this a 'yes'?"

Continuing to move her head up and down, Raquel extended her arm in his direction for him to put the ring on her finger, which he did with a trembling hand. Sergio then raised himself to kiss her and take her into his arms, spinning her around in circles. His embrace felt like freedom, she felt as if she were flying, but at the same time, his firm grip around her waist reminded her that she would land safely, that he would protect her at all cost. He was her lifebuoy, her lighthouse in the middle of the broad ocean. 

"Finally! I thought I wouldn't get to experience this day after all," Mariví suddenly interrupted them as she emerged from the garden with Paula by her side, both wearing a bright smile. "What took you so long, my dears?"

The newly engaged merely laughed, too busy clinging on to one another as if they had just reunited after being apart for years. However, Raquel then realized that all this had been their life for the past three years, and the palm trees and playful tides weren't what made this place feel like paradise, because she had also felt this way back in Spain whenever he was with her, whenever they were together. 

"Sergio?" she spoke, at last, her voice shaking a little from all the emotions flowing through her at once, and cupped his cheek so he would look into her eyes. "I've always been, and I always will be _yours_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had to end this story with some tooth-rotting fluff before all the drama in season 4. But let's hope that we will have reasons to celebrate tomorrow! I'm so excited!
> 
> I feel a little sad about saying goodbye to this story, I had spent three months working on it, and all of your positive feedback swept me off my feet. This is the first multi-chapter fanfiction I have ever finished, and I wouldn't have done it without MegShea and thegirloverseas, two amazing proofreaders who I feel honored to call my friends, and every single person who read this story, left kudos, and wrote comments/reviews. I would have probably never finished this fanfic if it wasn't for all of your support :) Thank you!
> 
> Let's hope we'll see each other soon. Take care and stay safe! Somos la resistencia! 
> 
> Fun fact: thegirloverseas discovered that there's a Philippine dish made from dried fish called 'Tuyo'. What a coincidence! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated! Also, feel free to comment in any language you want to <3 :)
> 
> P.S.: The fanfiction and chapter titles refere to the song "Tuyo" by Rodrigo Amarante ;)


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